


Of Innocence and Passion

by bornforwar_archivist



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2006-12-31
Updated: 2006-12-31
Packaged: 2018-11-10 03:29:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11118987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornforwar_archivist/pseuds/bornforwar_archivist
Summary: By LascaDelving into Ares and Xena's past.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Delenn, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Born For War](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Born_For_War), which closed in 2015. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in March 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Born For War collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bornforwar).
> 
> Distribution: Once again, Illyandria, you can have them, woman! 
> 
> Spoilers: Death Mask...if that. 
> 
> Disclaimer: Dang, we hate these things, we don't own them, but thats not to say we don't wish that we did... 
> 
> Summary: Delving into Ares and Xena's past.

He moved quickly along the dirt street with long, purposeful strides, causing the dust that resided there to billow up and color the late night air a dull brown before stilling itself once again and settling back down to blanket the cold ground.   
  
His eyes darted back and forth between the various shops and dwellings, nervously eying the shadows that lurked there as if they would jump him at any given moment. He threw a murderous look at the brightly lit moon hanging low and ripe in the black sky. Idly he wondered if somehow the stars could read his thoughts and understood the objective of his mission, having then decided not to allow their presence to be known to him...to further deny him any comfort on the way to the temple. It hit him all of a sudden just how truly dark it actually was, the only light, eminating from the eerie moon, providing only a more sinister looking Amphipolis. He ran a sweaty hand through his hair before he picked up the speed with renewed intent.   
  
He only nearly avoided crashing into the first steps leading up to the temple doors. He was here, but immediatly wished he wasn't. He reached into the black leather pouch attached to his belt, and nervously took out an old piece of dirt stained cloth, wiping it across his forhead, catching the beads of perspiration that rolled down his face before he cautiously took a look behind him. He silently studied the dangers of entering the temple ...and gulped. Definetly dangerous. He took the next step slowly, hesitated, and bit his lower lip... there was no choice, the consequences of not going through with this were much higher, no where to run now, he must finish his duty.   
  
With resolve written across his face he made his way up the rest of the stairs and with one last sigh swung open the doors.   
  
He walked confidently passed the guards in the hall, and didn't bother giving the priests a second look...he reached the alter in record time. Afraid to wait, less his courage fail him, he dropped to his knees in front of the giant stone altar.   
  
"M-" he clasped a giant hand to his mouth mortified at the squeek that had escaped his throat. He cleared it quickly and began again. "My lord..'' he paused momentarily and lowered his head further to the floor "I have returned with knowledge you seek in the task which you have given to me. I request your presence so that I might deliver it to you!" Again he bit his lip, the anticipation building with every waking moment. Fidgeting slightly he clasped his wet palms and shut his eyes tightly.   
  
After waiting nearly half a candlemark, cautiosly, he started imploring again. "Ahhh...my lord-"   
  
"This had better be good" came the ghostly reply   
  
His eyes enlarged suddenly as he spun around frantically to find himself staring into the eyes of the dark, hooded figure.   
  
His overwelming presence struck pure fear into him. "Ah, well..my lord, um--'' he stuttered once more.   
  
''Out with it!'' The hooded figure cried with great impatience.   
  
'' I-- I have the information you requested, my lord.''   
  
''And?"   
  
"Th- the presence you have felt is.. it's a woman, my lord''   
  
''A.. WOman? Is that the best excuse you could come up with?'' he asked lamely. ''You have failed me Serentius, I will not--''   
  
''It's the truth my lord..'' pleaded the man. ''in Amphipolis, just like you said, she fit every description you named, she HAS to be the one..her name is Xena''   
  
''Listen, I'm tired of your idiotic...'' the hooded figure paused, unsure of the thoughts weighing on his brain, '' you say her name is Xena?''   
  
''Yes my lord, it's Xena, but what would you want to do with a young girl?''   
  
''Silence!'' the man struck fear into Serentius, immediately quieting his vocals.''It's not who she is now, Serentius,'' he spoke with arrogance, ''Her destiny. It's what she will become.''   
  
''Is there anything else you ask of me, my lord?'' Serentius asked hesitantly, hoping there would be no other request from him.   
  
''Nope.. leave me alone, I have to plan her conque--'' he stopped abrutedly, leaving his sentence unfinished before the deep voice hidden within the cloak began again, ''Yes, Serentius, as a matter of fact there is...''   
  
''Yes my lord?'' the man questioned.   
  
Suddenly without cause or warning the hooded man raised his arm behind his head, and with a violent jolt, threw a heaving ball of fire directly at Serentius. He couldn't avoid the fire, and all that remain of him was now a sizzling pile of ash and bones...   
  
''Target practice..'' he replied, the last of his words rolling off his tongue like poisonous venem.   
  
''Your time has come Xena, my sweet... you're ready'' he said as he vanished in a wave of dense black smoke, the dimly lit candles slowly died out.. leaving the temple empty and dark.


	2. CHAPTER ONE: By Ares,.....

"My gods...with all the extra business we've been getting lately we can add on to the tavern, put in some more rooms maybe, buy some new supplies..."   
  
"Mother" broke in the young woman stading next to her who was already a hand higher than her mother at the tender age of 16 "All of the extra business we've been getting has also meant more work, and less sleep for you...you've been working yourself harder than Hera does on keeping Zues' mind solely on her!"   
  
"Oh Xena, I'm fine dear." Cyrene said to her daughter while at the same time shaking her head.   
  
"Mother, I'm worried about you." Her daughter said quietly looking her mother in the eye. Renewing her approach she started in once again, this time more forcefully than the last, "Why don't you let me and Ly help out here in the tavern? We're plenty old enough and you can't tell me you couldn't use the extra help! Let us do something to help out."   
  
"Xena, yes I could use the help ever since your-" she cut her self off shortly upon seeing the angry look in her daughters beautiful eyes. "Darling, I wouldn't be able to pay you or your brother for all of your hard work."   
  
"Mother!" She cut in exasperatingly "You pay us everyday let us do something in return for all you've done for us please" she silently begged.   
  
My little one always looking out for me. Have I told her lately how proud I am of her? Sweet Athena how I have been blessed, such a wonderful daughter Xena and Lyceus.. she let a smile come to her mouth as she thought of the her two children, her lights. She only wished that Toris could be more like them. Not to say she didn't love him.. 'he is my first-born son...nothing can ever take that away from me, I just wish he could find something or someone in his life that made him happy, made him feel worthwhile', just like her two youngest did.   
  
"Thankyou dear...but run along now, I have some work to do."   
  
She quickly sidestepped to her right to move passed her daughter, but Xena had already anticipated the course of action and was waiting there for her.   
  
"Mother," Xena said in a gentle but firm voice in which she hoped was a fair rendition of one that sounded unmovable, "Go lay down!" Lyceus will be in from the market in a while and I can surely take charge and keep things under control until he gets back..we'll be fine, now go!"   
  
Cyrene would have argued the issue further if not for her daughter's tone of voice. In the last few years Xena had developed a certain tone that could be clearly interpreted as "Don't even think about it, its final, end of discussion" the tone of voice that usually a mother would use with a toddler or unruly teen..not the other way around. She smiled inwardly but silently berated herself for once again bending to her daughters will. Whenever the situation would arise she would soundlessly question herself as to where her daughter recieved this rearkable gift that gave her a potency over others. She laughed silently it certainly hadn't come form Atrius! Although Cyrene herself could be persuasive at times she had nowhere close to the effectivness that her daughter possesed. No, surely it had not come from her father. Her daughters stuborness of course had come from her late husband, that had been evident from her early childhood years.   
  
Cyrene would endlessly try to persuade Xena from beating on her older brother when in fits of rage. The two although only 2 years apart in age had never gotten along well, and had countless fights upon the most foolish of reasons, but somehow it had always been Xena who came out victorius and Toris who would come in storming to his room fuming with anger and humiliation. Cyrene had spent untold hours talking to Xena but to no avail..her lower lip would pout out, she would cross her arms and look straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her mother was in the room. Those discussions had almost always ended with Cyrene walking frusturatingly from the room with the sound of a throaty giggle escaping from Xena's pressed lips, ringing in her ears. On the occasions where she could get her little one to talk, Xena would not bend and would ceaselessly debate her side of the issue with no apparent intention of giving in the least bit.   
  
But Xena's lack of budging from those certain issues went far beyond stubborness..she had a very powerful and persusive pressence.   
  
She sighed suddenly, making a wide smile of triumph spread over her daughters face at the evident penetration of her mother's defences.   
  
"Alright my little one I will lay down, for now." she added with a slight smile, "Make sure that all the customers pay before leaving, that includes your friends!" her mothers smile quickly left her face as she thought of the group of ruffians that her daughter was now, in her words, 'hangin' with. "Anyways, make sure to add the Amphipoli tax onto any strangers in the parts, and be careful not to upset any of the customers...I know how good you are at that, and-" She was silently interrupted by the sight of Xena's eyes moving heavenward towards her brows.   
  
"Yes mother, you have told me a thousand times, and all of the other things, I have watched you do this for ohh, about 16 years now...I think I can manage!"   
  
"Alright Xena, one more thing then I'll leave I swear! Do not get angry at any of the customers, no matter how rude they may appear. And if Mathitus shows up here I want you to come and wake me immeadiatly, he is very violent when he's drunk, and I do-"   
  
"That was two things mother! Now go to bed, I have customers to tend to!"   
  
"Yes sir!" Her mother replied snapping off the Athenian salute with a twinkle in her eye. Her daughter with the same twinkle returned the move wth a perfect rendition of a Roman salute. The whole thing was a game that Xena and her father had played in her younger years when they would come to an agreement, the two opposing armies trucing..it had always made the two smile when they had played it after an argument, and once he had 'left' she had picked up the game to help Xena ease the loss..only one thing was different.   
  
"Is something wrong Xena? I thought you always did the Spartan salute?" she said in a questioning but playful manner to keep up her daughers cheerful mood.   
  
"Yeah I know, but the whole Spartan thing is like way out, it was getting old, and anyways..I think that Romans and their salute are sorta sexy-" She was cut off by a hand over her mouth.   
  
"Xena! I do not want you talking off those things in the tavern! If it is necessary wait until after hours and we can talk privately..deal?"   
  
"Deal Mother!" Xena said with a wide smile upon seeing her mother's uncomfortable look.   
  
"Goodnight my little one."   
  
"Sleep well mother!" she said giving her mother a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek as her mother made her way to the back of the inn.   
  
**********************   
  
Xena let a sad smile grace her lips as she watched her mother's retreating form close the door to her quarters. The last few years had definetely taken their toll on Cyrene and had made her age considerably in those years. Though even with the burden she carried on her schoulders she wasstill one of the most beautiful women in Amphipolis. Not only physically but mentally as well. Whenever she looked at her Xena could see the black circles under her mothers eyes and could hear the mournful tone of her voice. Lately she had not even had the energy to become angered at her daughter's many little adventures that she and Ly had engrossed in with the current group of friends they where involved with. Her mind was filled with pity as she thought some of her mother's more happy times.   
  
A dark cast suddenly covered her brilliant blue orbs as she silently cursed the name of the man she had once called father. He was to blame for Cyrene's problems she was sure of that....the source of Toris' as well while were on the subject she thought wryly. Her elder brother had been isolate and distant in the last year, the price of the father figure missing from his life finally beginning to show on him. She felt sympathy for her brother..but no empathy, sure there were times when she was smaller that she wished he would come riding into town. But now, now she just felt anger towards him. Atrius, he had betrayed her mother, his family, and her.   
  
"Damnit!" She swore as she dropped the tray she had been holding. Gods, is there anything I hate more than betrayel? It must be the worst trait mankind has. She stopped suddenly as she noticed she was grinding her teeth.   
  
"Ohh Toris' what are Ly and I going to do with you..you're taking it so much harder than us..why?"   
  
Once again she let a scowl replace her warm smile as she muttered to the clay pot now in her hands "Selfish bastard! Probably out moping in some field instead of helping out here in the tavern, Gods Tor! Is all you think of is you damn self? Can't you see your own mother deteriorating in front of your eyes?   
  
Her mind suddenly shifted to Lyceus. My Gods, I love him more than Aphrodite loves mirrors!" He is the one thing in my life that makes everything worthwhile...he was her life...her little brother, her Ly....where is the little Sprout? She said with affection in her voice.   
  
A dazzling smile lifted her already gorgeous features into that of the most lovely grace. With the thoughts of her brother running through her head a sparkle enhanced her eyes...she knew exactly where he was. The list that her mother had given Ly was relatively short and would have taken, at he most, half a candlemark to gather. No, right now her brother was probably out working on haggling a good deal on the price of 2 swords. She and Ly had saved ther money for the last few years from the little odd jobs they preformed around the community, to get these. The cost of a sword these days was growing considerably and she and she wondered what the quality of the 'afordable' object would be.   
  
Her father, being a warrior of some sorts had almost always weilded a sword and had started sparring lessons with his two youngest children when they were 5 and 6. Toris had greatly dissapointed Atrius when he showed no intrest whatsover in learning to fight. She and Lyceus on the other hand had always shown a keen interest in warriors and fighting, the two siblings would walk up to a warrior in the tavern and bombared him with questions, asking them if they could hold there swords, or maybe throw there knives. The men had found it cute that a girl child would be interested in the trades of a warrior, they had once joked between eachother, saying things like "Ohhhwss yeah, yeah she'd be a good one...Ares'll probly gets to liked her!" They would end the statement with a loud belch..as if punctuating the fact that they were drunk.   
  
Since then she and Ly had picked up whatever they could and sparred by themselves..once, in great luck they had gotten a pair...old, used, and obviously in bad shape for just a few dinars a piece. They weren't much...but they worked. Now a few years later the swords were in unusable shape and the two were in dire need of new ones.   
  
"By Ares, Ly.....those better be some Gods be damned good blades for all the trouble I went through to get Mother out of here so you could sneak em in. if there not I'm gonna have to go on a killing spree and hack all the villagers into little peices to dull it, then I can hone it back up!" She smiled at the small inside joke that she and her brother shared of becoming warriors one day. It had always gotten a good laugh out them.   
  
As she quietly laughed at her quip she suddenly felt something move through her. She gasped and arched her back as the unexpected touch traveled through her body. Instantly as if it had spoken to her she knew that it was strong, and it had a certain...dark pressence, it was so=85sensual. As soon as it had traveled the 6' foot length of its course, it was gone. Immediately she felt a longing for it once more, she wanted it, she needed it...   
  
"Ohh that was gooood!" She said as she smiled. It was instantly followed by a thin frown as she seemed to shake herself from the spell that she was under only secods before.   
  
"What in Tartarus? What was that?!" Xena asked herself aloud. She had never felt such a presence before, it was so overwelming, so dark... and she enjoyed it.   
  
"Figures!" She muttered as she contempted the odd things that had just occured.   
  
"Hey blue eyes!!! Over here darling!" called a deep, and obviously drunken voice.   
  
She turned around to find an ugly man in old torn up leather sitting with a bunch of the same type of friends, who were congragulating him on his great 'attention grabber'.   
  
Her eyes took in the man's garb and knew instantly that he was a warrior..that and well, his sword sort of made it a given. =A0 Her eyes focussed on a small patch of darker leather near his shoulder.   
  
"Hmmmmm....black leather!" she started seductively. Where did that come from! The man was nowhere near attractive and he definetely wasn't wearing black leather...what was that feeling of lust that just washed over her?   
  
"Hey! Some service this year maybe sweetheart?" She shot him a venemous look before remembering what her mother had said.   
  
His reaction caught her off gaurd..the man gulped and leaned back slightly "Uhh...please?"   
  
"Yeah coming" What was this? The man acted like he was scared, like he was intimated!   
  
Her train of thought was suddenly cut short as a new group of people walked throught the taver doors looking for a table. All thoughts of the previous events left her mind as she began to walk to seat them.


	3. CHAPTER TWO

  
Xena's was restless. The kind of restlessness that came from knowing something was right around the corner, but knowing that wasn't going to make it come any faster.   
  
Xena spent the entire day serving guests-townfolk and travellers alike, many which would have 'forgotten' to pay if she hadn't brought the matter up.   
  
It was while she was walking back the counter she caught site of something black out of the corner of her eye. Normaly, she wouldn't have turned, but waited for the customer to get her attention. But there was something strange about it, that made her halt suddenly and spin her head around.   
  
There was simply a man sitting at the rear of the tavern near one of the corners. That was normal enough. Though it was somewhat strange that he was clothed in a full cloak, the dark material covering even his face. Somehow, even though she couldn't see his eyes, she could feel his eyes on her. She was suddenly extremely uncomfortable, and shifted subconsiously as she felt a wave of heat pass through her and her breath catch in her throat, making her flush slightly. Even feeling intimadating under the stranger's steady gaze, she couldn't help but feel oddly at ease, her nerves were on high alert...but also relaxed. It was like she was anxious and relaxed at the same time. "Weird" she muttered, and altered her course to make way to the man's table.   
  
"Evening," she drawled almost shyly. "How may I be of service?"   
  
When the man spoke it was in a low husky growl that succeeded in causing lust to course through her loins. "Many ways..." He seemed to almost be pondering something.   
  
"Excuse me?" she asked.   
  
"Nothing, mead though." he answered shortly. She moved quickly to get his drink, hurrying back.   
  
"There we are." she smiled at him as she handed him the drink. As he reached the cup, he made sure to brush her hand with his own. The feel of his skin was cool against her own warm ones. He let them linger there for a while, as did she, finally she shifted uncomfortably and pulled back. "Anything else?" she inquired.   
  
"No, nothing else. Thankyou, my lady." he purred.   
  
She blushed at the comment and said quickly "Xena." and then turned and walked back to the counter. The seconds stacked a top one another with a slow, steady procession, until finally, after about 10 days-2 hours-Lyceus came rushing through the door. Empty-handed.   
  
The raven haired teenager slammed the platter of mugs down on the counter and raced to her brother, halting inches from him as she threw her arms around his neck, giving him a big hug. She recoiled suddenly as she noticed that he didn't have anything with him.   
  
Her beautiful blue eyes grew upset as a frown creased her forehead. "Ly-don't you have.." she asked hesitantly.   
  
Lyceus shook his head slowly. "Sorry Xe, but I just couldn't find anything, I looked, but...there wasn't anything."   
  
"Ohh." she stammered, "Nothing at all?"   
  
Seeing his sister's crestfallen expression, Lyceus couldn't keep up with his charade. "Well, there was something.." he grinned mischeviously.   
  
"Lyceus!" Xena hissed. "You little rat! You had me going!" She laughed, "So you got the swords?" she asked happily.   
  
He bit his lip and nodded, turning away from Xena and making his way up to the counter. "Sorta." he mutttered, barely audible, even to her amazing hearing.   
  
Xena, not one to let something like that go, grabbed him by the arm and spun him around. "Lyceus-" she warned.   
  
"Alright, I only got your sword." he said finally   
  
"Ly!" Xena interrupted him   
  
"No! No saying anything about it! I took one look and realized it was for you...its in the stables." he said in a firm voice.   
  
"It took all the money?" she asked sullenly, though excited to get a look at it.   
  
"Yeah, but hurry, I want you to go look at it, before Mom gets out!" he told her warmly.   
  
She gave him another hug before he walked towards a nearby table.   
  
Xena cast a glance at the table where the man was sitting, only to find his head turned, still to her. She shivered once again slightly. Her view of him was suddenly cut short, as someone walked in front of her. When the crowd moved, the man was no longer there! She stared in amazement at the spot he had sat only seconds before. How in Tartaruas did he do that!?   
  
She shook her head and walked to the stables. Upon getting there she headed down the stalls for a while before turning left into the stall that she and Lyceus always hid things in.   
  
After gropping around in the hay for a moment, she pulled out a long, broad sword. It was a beauty! She couldn't believe Lyceus had found something like it at a merchants shop!   
  
Suddenly, before she knew what was happening the sword was glowing a deep bluish color, making her gasp in surprise.


	4. Chapter Three

Something was definetly not right. That was a given. This sort of thing didn't happen every day, at least not to her.   
  
"Alright, this is just my imagination, umm...oh shit! This is so not my imagination!" As much as she tried to tell herself that she was making the whole ordeal up, that it was only a figment of her overactive imagination, a result caused by the stress of overworking and trials of everyday life..she knew it was real..somewhere inside..and she wanted to know what it was.   
  
"Okay, so I'm not fucking nuts, that really narrows it do-" she stopped mid-sentence as the hairs of on the back of her neck stood up behind her Raven strands in the all to familiar sense of being watched. But added to this uneasy intuition was something else....her entire body seemed alive..like how you feel after running a race, Xena was livid and she noticed that her heart had just started beating faster...in addition to the tightening flesh of her breasts. Closing her eyes in an attempt to still the beating, a trick she had learned years ago in order to keep hiding places exactly that when she was young and playing games with her brothers..she had mastered the technique in an amazingly short period of time..as well as the game.   
  
Other than impulsively tightening her grip on her new sword, she made certain to make no other sudden movements or motions to indicate that she was aware of the mysterious presence, thereby insuring the element of surprise in her favor. At least until she was ready to make her move..   
  
With lightning fast agelity ahe swung around, sword at the ready, in a fighting stance, and a blaze in her eyes. All at the same time displaying that magnificantly crafted smile upon her face.   
  
Her eyes widened instantly in surprise...what she found in front of her was completely unexpected. Nothing. Nothing, nada, nici, none....nothing. Her smile dropped a notch, or more so added was a depth of annoyance creeping into the upturned corners...barely visual except for the curl of her top lip. Eyes still shinning she glanced left to right, all the time keeping her head perfectly still in an attempt to uncover what she knew was there. She brought the sword up in front of her chest to a more comfortable position with an experienced turn of her wrist...a fancy but direct manner.   
  
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" she whispered in a scarcely audible tone. "Show yourself now..and I may go easy on you!"   
  
"Easy on me?" She spun, sword positioned for a strike, facing into the stall at the low amused voice as it sneered. The black cloaked man stood about 4 feet from Xena. He was taller than she , perhaps by hand. He stood with a fighters stance, his shoulders back, arms crossed in front of his chest, and his hooded head held high in an arrogant manner that she found most attractive...she tightened her grasp on her sword.   
  
�How in Tartaraus did he manage to slip past me into here?' she asked herself angerly.   
  
She felt a gasp rise in her throat, but it never found the opportunity to make itself known as she violently smothered it. She let her grin widen ferally and spread into her eyes, desperate not to let her recently uncoverd lust shine through to her opponent.   
  
"How I do love that smile...and that glow in your eyes...almost unmatched...uh, that won't be necessary, my dear." he spoak gesturing sligthtly to her sword. His voice was deep, silky, and sensuos..an intoxicating mixture.   
  
"Oh, I don't know, I think I'll keep it around, these things can really come in handy sometimes, ya know" she replied in her own throaty purr raising the sword to examine the craftmanship admiringly.   
  
"Ahh, you like it." It was more of a statement then it was a question. "Of course you do, it was made for you." Pausing for only a moment to look at her confused look and to allow a smile to creep onto his features, he continued "You feel the balance of it, the perfection. How the hilt fits your grip like it was molded from it every line, every crease...it was made for you, only you."   
  
"Ohh yeah, its just great, but for how much Ly paid for this thing they could have at least gift wrapped it. Or have thrown in a sheath or something." Xena began with an innocent sarcarsm. "Now back to my question," she paused silently to glare at him, "what are you doing here?"   
  
"Here? These are the stables aren't they?"   
  
"Your point being?"   
  
"There public."   
  
"Wrong. They're for the tavern customers-ohh, thats right you were in the tavern today, weren't you? Lets say 'paying' customers then, shall we?"   
  
"By the way, just how did you get out of there so quick?"   
  
"So quick?"   
  
"Don't play stupid!" she snarled. "I was watching you in there, one moment you see him, a second later you don't how did you do it?" she stepped forward slightly,   
  
"I've never seen anyone move that quickly,"   
  
"No, no you probably haven't." the man chuckled softly to himself.   
  
"Alright, then don't tell me, but, you know what, you didn't tell me which of these fine beats is yours"   
  
"Didn't I? No? Well, to tell you the truth, I'm actually looking for something=85new to ride=85" he let the sentence trail off purposely.   
  
"Don't tell me your planning on=85shopping here?"   
  
"No." he said simply.   
  
"Good." before rising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the side contemplated the last words he had said. "Okay, enough with the cryptive guy shit...get out of here." she said uncertainly. The stranger's presence was uncommenly affecting her, making her a somewhat nervous...and she couldn't have that, it made you vulnerable. Her face quickly assumed an 'I'm bored' and indifferent countenance. She idly began to twirl the sword around her body for a few minutes before lifting her eyes from her activities to stare at him "Ohh, are you still here? Didn't I tell you to get lost?" she sneered.   
  
"Now, Xena aren't you being a little rude?"   
  
'My name, did he just say my name?' she smothered the question burning in her throat and raised both eyebrows at him before beginning to walk past him. The kick came out of nowhere, catching him solidly in his chest, causing him to stumble back a few paces. She was slightly surpised that he was still standing as she had felled many of the village boys with identical blows. 'Whatever.' "See, now that," she smiled cheerfuly, "that was rude=85are we seeing the difference here?" she asked conversationaly.   
  
A deep laugh erupted from under the black hood. "There we are, there's that anger, so much of it, ready to explode at any moment=85yet when it does always used to your benefit, and then there's those witty little quips...you don't know how much I love that."   
  
"Well, I do try." she sneered sarcasticly.   
  
He cocked his head to the side. "But my dear, that kick was completely uncalled for!" Before he had finished the sentence he had lashed with amazing strength in a vicious backhand that landed fully across her face. The action came as a complete surprise to Xena, who had never even seen the blow coming. And it literally hurt like Tartaraus on impact! But, instict alone made her ride the 'with' the power of the blow lessening the pain only a fraction and sending her careening into the side of the stable wall, instead of into the stall across from the one they were presently occupying. Slowly rising from the floor on unstable feet she slowly shook her head as if trying to shake the pain residing there. Before she had fully recovered she noticed that he was making his way towards her. No correction, with her eyes now clearing she found that he was in front of her. As he reached her, only inches way, she quickly ducked under his right arm in an attempt regain the upperhand. He easily caught her fore arm and twisted her back around up against the wall so that she was once again facing him.   
  
Before she could protest he was slowly bringing his mouth down to hers, placing a gentle kiss on her soft lips and then began darting his tongue teasingly across them. She felt like she was in Elysia already...this was wonderful! His kisses were so unlike the others she had recieved, they spoke of experience, of passion=85not just some raging teens hormones talking and something deeper than that, she almost felt as if she had always been doing this, it didn't seem strange to her in the least bit that a coplete stranger was kissing her in her mothers stables! One thing though, would make it better.   
  
Allowing him to continue his attentions she crept a hand up deftly behind his back only to be caught with a steel strong grip around her wrist, pausing her inches from her goal.   
  
"Ahh, ahh, ahh!" he tsked, and then continued in a low teasing voice, "My sweet Xena is being a naughty girl!" he paused. "All in good time though." Slowly the man reached his hand behind his back and seemingly from nowhere produced some object bundled in it, as he brought it back out. He swiftly brought the black leather over her head lifting her hair and slowly setting the the long pendant on her shoulders to hang from her neck=85where the charm layed across her breasts. He looked down at her for a brief second "I like that.." He then began to gently massage the wrist he had held in a vise grip moments before.   
  
"Xena? Xeeena!" The voice broke through his current haze. 'Oh great, just what she needed! 'Big brother' to run to mom telling him what she was doing in the stable with a strange man.'   
  
"Don't worry." the husky voice sounded, right next to ear making her jerk in surprise. He slowly brought her hand up to his lips, gently brusing her middle knuckle with his lips=85and dropping her hand suddenly.   
  
"XEEEENA!!"   
  
She turned her head, annoyed. as the voice became louder. She worriedly turned her head back towards him. Only to find that he was gone! He had just vanished!" She looked around her, a bewildering frown locked on her beautiful face. 'How in Tartaraus did he get out? I'm blocking the only way out of the stable!' She quickly darted to the back of the stall catching her toe on something hard as she moved. "Fuck!" she moaned wincing slightly as her toe began to throb. 'Smooth Xena, very smooth!' she glanced down to identify the threatining object=85her sword!   
  
Realizing that it must have fallen to the ground when the man hit her she smiled. The fact that he had hit her didn't bother her in the least bit, their small 'fight' (if one could even call it that) had actually only seem make both of them hotter!   
  
"Xena, xena where are you?!"   
  
'Shit, Toris!' she hurriedly pushed the sword back under the hay before adding an additional layer for extra coverage, finishing and standing, only seconds before her brother barged into the stall.   
  
"Shit, Xena where the Tartaraus have you been!?"   
  
"Where have I been?" she asked incrediously. "Where the fuck have you been the last 2 days? I think I should be the one asking the questions" she snarled as she pushed past him, violently shrugging off the hand that meant to capture her.   
  
"Don't. Touch. Me" she warned coldly, staring deeply into his eyes until he suddenly decided to look away. She left without another word and sighed deeply as she reached the fresh outdoor air.   
  
She needed time to think. So much had happened in the last few hours...her head was swimming as she remembered the pendant he had hung from her neck. The symbol looked familiar, but she could not for the life of her recall the meaning.   
  
"Have to ask Ly." she mummured slowly beginning to walk towards the tavern doors...but right now she had work to do.


	5. Chapter Four

Business was now deteriorating as it usually did towards the end hours of the night. She moved swifly between the tables, narrowly missing the sharp corners as she filled mugs to the rim, catching herself just in time before they exuded over on to the tops of the tables . Offering an apologetic smile to the man she continued to the counter where she stood and stared wistfully at the door.   
  
A short sigh escaped her lips as she realized that she was not focused at the task at hand. Oh, on the outside she played the part of the tavern mistress flawlessly=85 just as her mother would, darting from table to table, waiting on the customers, and blocking out the tedious conversations of local trade and village gossip from her head=85but as much as she hated to admit it, her thoughts were focused entirely on the hooded man. Everything about him was so strange, the general fact that he turned up everywhere she went was unnerving, and how she could always 'feel' him before she saw him. The fact that he kept himself hidden behind that cloak. The fact that he had talked like he knew her. Perhaps just the way he had talked to her=85that husky, but arrogant and mocking voice. Her brow creased slightly with annoyance.   
  
She had always found that one of the most irking human traits that could slip into a person's characteristics. What does the Tartaraus did think he was doing? She had seeked retribution for offences of less severe nature! He had made her blood boil with anger in a way that she had never felt before=85but all the while as she found that offfensive, she had also found it appealing. He exerted such a power over her, so alluring, so captivating=85so inviting.   
  
"Rrahhg!" Xena growled with frusturatiom as she felt herself become warm with her thoughts as her hand slowly crept to her lips at the thought of his mouth pressed to hers, freely roaming and caressing each inch of her soft lips with a subtle compassion she had never felt before, never been a part of. Her emotions were driving her crazy! She violently slammed a long fingered fist on to the counter top, and then immediatly winced as she shook out her damaged fingers. No, the most unnerving thing about the stranger was how he managed to arouse something in her something, something new, she didn't know what it was. 'I don't know=85something about him just makes me gravitate towards him=85' a slow smile lit her face '=85no more so than he with I, hopefully!' Her thoughts mingled as she silently fumed.   
  
She had never felt this way over anyone! Certainly not someone she had not even seen face to face, at least without a hood! Perhaps that was what drew her to himthe most. Her inability to see his face, the man behind the hooded mask. The danger of the unknown.   
  
"Hey sis! Could you get that table in the back for me?" The sweetly familiar voice broke through her current haze.   
  
"Course Ly, sorry!" she smiled at him. 'Damnit Xena, you're so infatuated with a stranger that you can't keep up with your task!' She silently pushed all thoughts of him out of her head=85she had promised Mother that she would see to the tavern, and that was exactly what she was going to do! She was going to forget him completely and move on with the night=85but secretly she found herself wondering if he would turn up again=85and what would happen if he did.   
  
Xena swiftly diverted her path to lead towards the table occupying the back corner of the inn. The corner where he had sat only hours before. 'Is there anything that doesn't remind me of Him?' 'Obviously not!' 'Oh right=85now I'm so obsessed with this man, that I'm going to be making some connection to him with everything I do. Every act, every thought, every word that escapes my moth, everywhere I look, there will be a connection with him=85I have to see him again, I have to find out more about him=85" she thought to herself.   
  
Forcing her musings away from her stranger she approached the table and quickly took in her new customers. There were six forms seated around the table each clothed in a plain white rob with shaven heads. Priests. Her eyes widened in surprise as one of the order turned towards her...a woman!   
  
'Wait aren't preist celibate?' she questioned herself. Inconspicuously she took a long look at the woman, finally coming to the realization that she was a priestess=85well, at least that was what they were called. Upon closer observation she realised that only 3 of the group were male.   
  
Doing her best to keep a cheerful demeanor she offered her a bright smile. "May I help you?"   
  
"Oh yeah, sure...Lysinda and I would just some water, sweetie." her voice was airy and blithe, the voice one would come to expect from someone with her looks. Curly blonde hair and light twinkling eyes, very small but well rounded. Like an overgrown child, though still beautiful.   
  
"Okay=85and you?" she asked the woman still engrosed in conversation with the other men. She turned her head slowly to look at Xena. Her green gaze moved down her body sizing her up before resting on her eyes with a look of disdain etched clearly across her face. Tossing back her hair she raised her nose slightly into the air.   
  
Xena immediatly stiffened and as the woman stared at her, pursing her lips and raising her own chin in reply. The hostility radiating from her was almost a tangible thing!   
  
'Some people are such bitches!' 'She doesn'teven know me!' Xena surpressed her thoughts, not wanting then to slip from her mouth. She scowled slightly before a small smile crept to her lips and asked again, "May I get anthing for you? Water?" a malicous glint flickered through her eyes "We have goat's milk, if you'd rather, I heard its supposed to help with=85ahh, those." she gestured broadly to the womans face.   
  
"With what?" the woman snapped as she patted her face gently.   
  
"Ahh, well you know=85the um=85ohh, actually its really nothing, its barely even noticeable=85here turn towards the door, see! Now there you go, you can't even see it in this light!" She aimed a sweetly encouraging smile at the woman. Xena couldn't help but smirk as her fingers darted once again to her face, this time gently carresing her nose as she checked for damage. 'These vain tyes are just too easy, not even worth the effort'...but they were fun, and she was never one to pass up on an opportunity=85'besides, I need to get my kicks somehow!'   
  
Despite the cruel fun that Xena was having, she did have a composure to mantain. But now she put that aside with a silent apology to her mother as she realized she was about to bread her promise. This girl deserved whatever malevolent verbal harm Xena threw at her now. "Are you listening to me? What is it? Tell me!"   
  
Xena cringed slightly as the woman's voice became shrill with anger and panic.   
  
"Tell me now, or I swear-"   
  
"You'll what?" she stared fixedly into the dark green eyes, livid; finding it implausible that someone threaten her in that tone. Especially this 'priestess' of all people! Xena knew the brat would never deliverer on her threat, but it enraged her all the same. Her temper was growing fairly thin.   
  
"Mhehehe-!" Flaming crystal deep blue eyes snapped up momentarily distracted, to catch site of the small blonde's petite hand flying to her open mouth to stiffle the giggle.   
  
"Telana!" Lysinda exclaimed, while at the same time turning her own head from the seething priestess, with a broad smile covering her featuress. As she looked at Xena her smile grew even wider causing her to bite down on her lip in a vain attempt to mute her own threatning laughter. Accomplishing her goal she offered a discreet wink to Xena, and then turned back to the woman.   
  
Gerty, girl, give it a rest! There's nothin' on your face, 'kay?"   
  
"It's Gertrude, Lysinda!"   
  
"Yeah whatever just chill, me and Tela, see we're calm!"   
  
"Sure are Liss!" the blonde managed to get in before snickering once again.   
  
Lysinda rolled her eyes and muttered a curse. "Well at least halfway-so just leave the girl alone!"   
  
"Fine!"   
  
Gertrude huffed. "I'm a mature adult, and I need'nt bother myself with the games of children!"   
  
The insult was not lost on Xena who quickly smothered the violent anger threating to erupt from her belly. Instead she leaned down towards Gertrude. "Yeah, I guess you're right, you're a mature adult=85just between us girls, it shows around the eyes!" she quipped with mock sympathy. She straigtened herself up suddenly and without so much as a hesitant thought she had turned towars the men and began to speak. "May I help you, good sirs?" The man who she immeadiatly identified as the 'leader'...maybe high priest glanced at her and had already turned his head back towards his Brothren when he muttered   
  
"Mead."   
  
"Alright, mead it is...anything else?" Upon getting no reply she lifted her head up to look at the man she had just spoken to, to find him staring straight at her. Well, a certain part of her.   
  
She threw a smoldering glare at the vapid priest. "Anything else, you ugly little troll?" the snarl escaped her lips before she thought of quieting it. She was in for it now, she had better think quickly or they just might lose some paing customers! 'Oops.'   
  
"Exscuse me?" the man asked moving his eyes up to look at her face.   
  
'Think quick Xe!'   
  
"A homemade roll!" she said suddenly. "Could I intrest you in one?"   
  
"Umm, no, no just the drinks" no sooner had he spoken had is eyes dropped once more to rest in their previous position.   
  
With eyes of disdain the young woman abruptly turned and made her way to the front counter, surprising the man.   
  
"Xe, took a long enough time, what was all that about?"   
  
"Priests!" a hand reached up and slammed a cup up on to the counter and then just as quickly disapeared back under.   
  
"Yeah, I saw=85that brunette looked pretty pissed about something."   
  
From under the counter Xena noticed the kind of voice that her brother was using, half 'I'm not probing' and half reprimanding. "Yeah." she smiled bringing up the rest of the glasses.   
  
"Xena...ahh, damn Xena I know that look, you didn't=85 did you?"   
  
"Nothing too serious Ly" she assured as she began to search intently for something.   
  
"Alright sis, whatever you say." he replied, unconvinced. "What did they want?"   
  
"3 mugs of mead, 2 waters=85" She halted from her search and turned towards the table to find all 6 of its patrons staring directly at her. She returned the stare=85straight at Gertrude and downed a sympathetic expression as she stared, unwavering at the womans chin, while biting her lip. As if on cue Gertrude's hand slapped back towards her cheeks. Behind her she heard Lyceus chuckle lightly as Gertrude stuck out her tongue.   
  
She turned back swiftly to Lyceus =85and a glass of goat's milk!" she smiled widely and resumed her search with graceful fingers and finally pulled out a long brown pouch with black leather drawstrings. By this time, Lyceus had already filled the mugs and stood silent as Xena took a pinch of the powdered substance and and stirred it into a tall glass. "It's alright Ly, just an herb, keep the old geezer from lookin at girls for a week!" she explained at Lyceus' gasp.   
  
Grabbing a tray Xena loaded the glasses onto it and made her way to the back table smiling brightly. "Here we go...2 waters....3 mead," she carefully set down the doctored drink infront of the old man, "And 1 goat's milk...will that be all for the evening?" She carefully avoided Gertrude's stare.   
  
"Ahh yes, quite enough...actually though I would like to inquire about that lovely peice of...jewelry...you're wearing."   
  
Snapping her head down towards the pendant hanging from her neck she then looked back up at the preist.   
  
"A gift from a friend." she said slowly.   
  
"A friend...?"   
  
"Yes, a friend." this time more forcefully. She mumbled a quick 'thanks for coming', and made her way back from the table. As she retreaded she heard Telana ask "Wasn't that th-urghh."   
  
"Hey Lyceus"   
  
"Yeah, Xe?"   
  
"What do you think about the group in the corner?"   
  
"The priests?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"I don't know..all priest seems sort of kooky to me."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yeah...especially priests of Ares."   
  
She paused, momentarily looking back at Lyceus' form going to greet the next guests. "Ares?" she fingered the pendant around her neck. "Hmmm."   
  
  
  
  
  
Xena shifted uncomfortably in her bed, the sheets that covered her legs being too hot, but the cold night air being too frosty against her smooth skin. She hated these kind of nights, such horrible weather. The way she saw it, she had worked a long day and now wanted to sleep, and now wanted to find some sense of contentment in her bed..   
  
It wasn't all the weathers fault, though. She had a lot of things on her mind. And why not, she reminded herself. A lot had happened in the last 12 hours. Mentally, she began to tick off all of the odd occurances that had transpired so lately. Well, of course, the sword that Lyceus had bought her...ohh that was a beauty, the stranger was right. There was another thing, the stranger. Her eyes took on a hazy far away look as she contemplated the man. He was the one responsible for that...'feeling' she was sure of it. It made sense, being that she only felt it when he showed up.   
  
Even though she haden't caught sight of his face, or his body but merely heard the mesmerizing lure of his voice, she felt so drawn to him. More so than she could ever remember being. There was something so beautiful, so strong about the way he spoke. For the life of her she couldn't exactly describe it. She guessed the only definite word she could use to sum it up was...seductive, perhaps. It was so deep, so persuasive, so-charming. Yet still, though she couldn't quite pinpoint it, it seemed to be underlined by some hint of danger-of wickedness, that she couldn't brush off.   
  
Xena sighed exasperatingly and ran a gracefully long fingered hand through her raven tresses. This was all so sudden! She had spent the last few hours laying there, trying to force her thoughts off of the compelling mean. But no matter how hard she tried, no matter how fervently she attempted to focus on something other than him, her struggles fell frusturatingly short of her intended goal. Finally realizing that her efforts were getting her nowhere, very quickly, she decided to concentrate on the matter, and sort things out. One way or the other. Unfortunatly-that was also taking her nowhere, except further into her musings and incessant longings for the stranger to return.   
  
"Just great." she moaned softly as she sat up straight, gathering that she should be doing somehting more productive. Not that she really had anything to be doing at this time of night. She cocked an eyebrow as she shrugged. She'd have to change that.   
  
She undressed quickly, shimming herself out of her short, white, night-shift. Not taking much time to sift through the various outfits in the hole in her wall that doubled as a closet, she gropped through the darkness until her hand met with the smooth cool exterior of her leather corset. Smiling in triump she grabbed the entire ensemble off of the shelf, and pulled it out of the closet.   
  
She dressed hurriedly, due to the practice that many years of dressing in the dark provided, pulling on the dark red-maroon dress with the slits up the sides. She had put them in recently, made it a lot easier to do what she planned in it. Dresses were really a bitch-but they helped.   
  
Taking the black leather corset from the place of which she had thrown it on the bed, she wrapped it around her midsection, pulled it fairly tight, and laced it up the front. She never understood why girls would sit for hours on end, squeezing themsleves into those things until there insides popped out-all to look better to a man.   
  
She scoffed mockingly. She would never do that. She was completely confident in the way she looked, and wasn't going to change anything for a man.   
  
Finished, she turned and stared in the mirror. Yeah, she looked good. She wasn't ashamed to admit it, modesty was never really high on her list of things to do. Everyone had things they were better at, or better with. You shouldn't be afraid to let the world know that.   
  
She nodded contentedly to herself in the mirror. Her arms were bare, as were her feet. That would never do. Pulling out a box form underneath her bed, Xena removed a pair of leather sandals from it, slipping her feet into them with another sigh. Not exactly the best, but they'd do.   
  
Xena pushed the box back under the bed and reached again, expecting the cool, smooth metal of her new sword, only to be met with the familiar touch of leather. She gave a forceful yank on the object, and it came out immediatly.   
  
It definitely was her sword, the same one that Lyceus had brought home. Only difference being that it was now sheathed in a beautiful black scabbard. Eyes wide she fingered the some of the metal raisings that covered the scabbard with a look of confusion plastered across her face.   
  
Could the day get any weirder? This on top of everything else...how the Tartaraus did this get on her sword?   
  
Lyceus? She silently questioned herself. No. No, no one had come in her room since she put the blade under there. No one. She would know. She was awake the entire time. Xena ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth. Maybe she should just let it go. It was beautiful, and she needed one. Who cared where it came from?   
  
Pushing the thoughts from her head she reached into her top drawer and pulled out a long peice of clothe that she usually used as a belt. She wrapped it once around the scabbard and then brought the two ends around either side of her chest, wrapping in around then tying it off. Her sword was effectively tied to her back...comfortably. Wow-that was an extra.   
  
She opened her door silently, lifting it up as soon as it began to move to keep the hinges from squeaking. Xena walked down the hallway silently, in slow calculating strides, making sure not to step on any of the floorboards that she knew would creak. The first door she passed was Lyceus, being closest to her own. This time, instead of lifting up on the door she pushed it in towards the frame, a relieved smile falling upon her face when it made no sound.   
  
She opened her mouth to call to him, but shut it hurriedly as she noticed he was asleep. She grimaced at him, deciding finally not to wake her brother. He looked so cute when he was sleeping. So calm. So peaceful. She didn't want to wake him. He shouldn't have to suffer because she couldn't sleep.   
  
She left his room and continued her way down the hall. The simple part was over...now she had to make it pass Toris' room. She sneered angrily as she past his closed door. Whatta dumb ass.   
  
Now for the hard part. If she couldn't make it pass her mothers room, then she was definitely gonna have some trouble. "Xena you got some splainin' to do."   
  
Catiously she molded herself to the wall outside of her mothers door, and peeked in the open door. Her mother was sound asleep. She pulled back. She just had to sleep with her door open. At least she was asleep. But if there was one thing she knew about her mother, it was that she must sleep with her eyes open! She was such a sound sleeper. At least she knew where she got it from.   
  
Xena stood contemplating her options. For about 10 seconds. She hadn't gotten this far, just to be turned back. You go for something...go all the way.   
  
She closed her eyes tightly, trying to silent her pounding heart. She could do this. Slow at first, she began to rock her hand forward and back, quickly picking up speed. All of a sudden, she launched herself into a tight forward flip that took her up over the archway of her mothers room, and landed her noiselessly on the other side, 2 feet from the frame, effectively taking her from one side of the entery way to the other, and leaving her mother none the wiser.   
  
She left the house the house full of cool confidence, reaching, reaching the street she stole a quick glance heavenward.   
  
The moon was a pale silver in the sky, clouds scuddling across it lazily. Xena grinned at the sight. It really was just gorgeous. She had always felt more comfortable at night. It always seemed more inviting than the harsh light of the sun.   
  
Making sure that no one noticed her, as she might seem just slightly out of place, Xena silently molded into the shadows of the night, disappearing into the darkness as she moved stealthfully out of the town and into the nearby forest which bordered the north end side.   
  
***********   
  
Xena moved with sound, decisive steps as she swung the sword in confident but confusing patterns that she executed with a forceful intensity. It was amazing the way the new blade made her feel. It was so amazing, almost as if she was more powerful, more able to do anything with it. She could feel a new powerful source flowing through her, sharpening her already sharp senses and adding more accuracy to her already percisice movements. At least in felt that way. But that was sort of unlikely.   
  
She had been working for close on an hour now. Starting off with a quick run through the woods, leaping over fallen tree branches and dodging between trees was exilarating. After a few miles she had turned around and returned to the familiar clearing where she continued with her sword play, persistantly tackling each move, each flip each thrust and swing of her sword with vigor.   
  
Only now was she starting to breathe hard. One last flip off the ground, up into the air, and then off the tree imediatly behind her, before landing once again on the cold floor of the wooded earth completed her work out.   
  
She re-sheathed her sword and walked briskly to a small stream filtering through the area. Taking a few long, filling drinks of the cool liquid, she at long last, sat back against an ancient tree stump and let out a content sigh.   
  
This was the life. She didn't know how she'd be able to get through the day if she wasn't able to sneak from the house and let out some of her agressions. Practising always seemed to calm her. Well-in a way. It made her more calm, more focused...but at the same time it excited her greatly, to the point where all she wanted to do was continue with the fluid, hypnotic rythm that her routine provided. Sometimes, she thought that if she didn't have better sense, she would continue with the activities until she collapsed with exhaustion.   
  
The thrill of the practise soon wore off and she began to think of things she had been centering on before she had started.   
  
She once again thought of the sword. It was so beautiful. It was almost as if there was something magical about it, it was so lovely. And she was so thankful that Lyceus had bought it for her. He was the sweetest brother. How could something like him come out of something that bore the likes of Toris?   
  
She was feeling deeply guilty though, she knew how much Lyceus was looking forward to getting a new sword. It had been all he had talked about for weeks! Now she was the one with a blade and he wasn't. That definitely wouldn't do.   
  
Xena considered her sword thoughtfully. There was something special about it. She was glad to have it in her possession. Something the hooded stranger had said rung suddenly in her ears, "It was made for you, only you." Okay...that was weird. It was made for me, huh? And how would he know?   
  
Shaking that off too, she consentrated on Lyceus. She was going to have to get him somthing special. Something really nice. A normal sword just wouldn't do...   
  
She grinned suddenly as she stood up, not taking the time to balance herself as she pushed herself into a fast sprint back towards town. She needed to get Lyceus a sword...and where better to get one, than where there was abundant supply of them? No one would even notice one missing. It was a perfect plan! All she had to do was get inside the temple, grab a sword-without being noticed-and leave. Easy.   
  
********   
  
Soon Xena stood off to the side of the giant temple looming in front of her, still concealed in the shadows as she contemplated her course of action. Two gaurds. That was all, but 2 might as well have been twenty. All it would take was one cry for help and she would be overwhelmed by the temple gaurds pouring out of the doors. She was confident she could take them...well, pretty confident, she hadn't been going up against any of Ares' warriors lately.   
  
She bit her lower lip in frusturation. How in Tartaraus was she supposed to get in? Distraction? Yeah...that would most likely get rid of one of them. But no, she needed to get in without a commotion. Something more subtle was needed.   
  
Her eyes lit up suddenly with a new idea. She could make a sacrifice...well that would work if she had anything. Wait a minute! She did have something. The sword. "Yes!" she hissed silently. That might just work.   
  
She took a small, unsure step towards the temple before gathering herself and continuing with complete assurance.   
  
"Hey." She greeted the men warmly. "I wanna make an offering."   
  
"Really?" one man asked sarastically. "And what would you have to offer the God of War, sweetie..well besides the obvious." the other man asked, sharing a good laugh with his companion. Xena glared heatedly at he men who had already turned from her. 'Chauvenist bastards' she thought heatedly.   
  
Without a moment's hesitation, Xena reached back and pulled her sword out of the scabbard in a smooth quick motion. "How 'bout this?" she asked cockily.   
  
The gaurds examined the blade wearily, noticing the fine craftmanship, and the certainty of which she weilded it. They were about ready to let her in, despise their better judgement when they caught sight of a small medallion hanging from her neck.   
  
Xena, noticing their diversion looked down in shock at the medallion the strager had hung from her neck. That was strange. She had forgotten she'd left it on, though she didn't remember wearing it during her work-out. She shrugged and looked back up at them men, surprised to find the men now exchanging awe-filled expressions. Without another word, they stepped apart, and lowered their heads, leaving an open path for her into the temple.   
  
Xena shook her head and walked somewhat less confidently into the building. She wasn't going to question her good luck. Tucking the medallion back into her cleavage, she cast a worried glance around her. By the gods, this place was huge! How was she going to find the armory?   
  
She walked for a few minutes, before noticing that she hadn't yet sheathed her sword, and did so swiftly. She walked into one of the main rooms, and let out a sigh of relief as she saw it was empty. Ohh great, the alter room, she thought humourlessly.   
  
Well, it wasn't the armory, but it'd do. It was actually a nice room. Dark, like she liked it, with only a few torches in the corners providing light of which to see by. The more she looked, the more she liked. There was an altar, large and foreboding, standing alone in the center of the room, and at the head an ornate throne.   
  
This was great, just bloody fantastic. Now she knew where she was. Not the armory, not the main sacrificing room, but the God of War's personal chamber. Xena felt strangely excited at the prospect of being in this room.   
  
Unfortunatly though, she didn't have time to explore the room, she was on a mission. Her heart pounded relentlessly in her heart as she ran to the far wall of the temple where an assortment of beautiful, richly decorated swords layed mounted on it.   
  
She was crazy. That was obvious, here she was planning on stealing a sword from Ares' personal collection. What was she thinking? He probably would notice that!   
  
Nonetheless, she reached for one particular blade that caught her fancy, only to be halted when she was inches from it by a dark, all too familiar voice that froze her right in place.   
  
"I wouldn't do that, my dear."   
  
  
  
All at once, in response to the voice, especially that voice, her already on-edge mind let loose with a string of furious obscenities that she muttered with a passion that would cause any man that heard her to wince.   
  
Of all the gods awful, fucking rotten things to happen, she had to let someone catch her in here. It took a long minute for Xena to calm the angry scowl on her face as she closed her eyes tightly, trying to will herself out of the situation. Like that was going to happen. 'On to plan beta' she thought sullenly and situated a friendly cheerful, but mocking grin across her features. If she was lucky, she could talk her way out of this one. She had never been one for using words other than her fists-as she actually preffered the later due to the fact that it was always more entertaining to her bellicose being. She was however a great actress. 'Part of the game' she always reminded herself. Play it over someone, get them to believe what you want them to, and you hold the upper-hand. That was important, holding the upper-hand. With that in mind Xena spun on the heels of her feet to the man behind her.   
  
A hundered smart-ass remarks died on the tip of her tongue as she caught sight of the awe inspiring vision before her. 'Nice' would be completely wasted on this man's beauty...'handsome' might be considered a little closer but still would be in the running for 'the understatement of all time'. She had never in her life seen anyone so enthralling and captivating than this man. He was absolutely gorgeous! In a dark, seductive kind of way, that was.   
  
He was clothed completely in leather...leather pants, and a leather vest with metal studs and markings covering it. His chest was visible from the way the vest was tucked into his belt were a awesome looking sword hung in an equally impressive sheath. She caught herself staring at the skin there, nice and smooth.   
  
She subconsiously let her tongue slip with a predatory swiftness over her bottom lip which she quickly bit upon noticing that she was doing it.   
  
She continued her inspection of the man, past his well trimmed black hair, to his face...totally angelic in its beauty, it held a certain sinister seeming undertone that was noticeable in the slightly wicked way his smile curved and furthermore detectible in his eyes. His eyes she notices, were not focused on her own but were rather otherwise engaged in an admiring glare, roaming down every inch of her body, in that age-old fashion that only a man would look at a woman in. Immediatly Xena felt herself blush at his gaze and shift uncomfortably, seemingly alerting him to the fact that she was staring at him.   
  
For a endless moment the two stood with their eyes locked together, searching the depths of the others bright eyes with a silent fascination. At times, Xena noticed his eyes seemed to turn different colours. In one minute they could seem a dark shade of blue, and then all of a sudden flicker to a deep chocalate brown. She stared deeply into them for the longest time, until they seemed to appear a dark grayish colour. She could lose herself in those beautiful eyes, she found herself thinking. All in all, the man's tall dark, bronzed, well sculpted body one first prize over all the other men she had ever seen in a single glance. If she could call him a man. Something in the back of her mind kept screaming that there was no way in Tartaraus that he could be a mere mortal. There was something so strange about him, so ethereal...she was certain that he was a very important person.   
  
She stood rigid, fixed to the spot on the floor as she tried to regain her bearings. Her smooth brow was marred with the slightest suggestion of a frown as she racked her mind for a way out of the current situation.   
  
Letting a naive light fill her eyes, Xena asked with a believable innocence, "Wouldn't do what?"   
  
"Don't bother Xena, I know what you were doing." The man answered dryly, continuing to gaze into her eyes with a vivid intensity. "Anways, that 'what?-little-old-me?' act doesn't cut it for me." he added.   
  
For once, Xena was at a loss for words as she simply fidgeted uncomfortably, like a toddler caught with her hand in a cookie jar.   
  
He offered her a captivating smile that made her heart beat flusteringly within her breast and a sudden warmness spread throughout her body beofre she quickly calmed her suddenly rapid pulse and downed a calculating expression as she eyed him.   
  
"Thats better." he growled deeply.   
  
Upon hearing the husky voice, she was certain of where whe knew this man from. "You were the one in the tavern and stables!" she accused shortly as the realization finally dawned on her! This was the stranger! She immediatly felt once again, short of breath. This beautiful man had kissed her!! She had been up against him with his tongue in her mouth! She has wondered what he had looked like-well, actually wondered would be letting it go short, she had literally almost drove herself crazy speculating over how he must look. He was wearing a hood, for all she knew, he could have been an ugly old man. With sudden forwardness, Xena asked, "Why would you be wearing a hood?"   
  
The man seemed please with her question and cocked his eyebrow inquisitevly. "I had to make sure you were the one."   
  
"The one?" she asked, confused. "Who are you, what the is this, why are you here, whats going on?"   
  
"Me? What am I doing here? What are you doing here Xena?" he asked calmly.   
  
"Me? I'm ahh-I-I'm well, I'm looking ar-" she stopped suddenly, noticing that he had turned the tables on her. "Wait a minute, I asked first. What do you mean what am I doing here! By the Gods, what are you doing here! Are you following me?" she asked indignantly.   
  
"Why would I be doing that, Xena?" he asked with a small smile turning his lips with amusement.   
  
Xena could feel hersefl becoming increasingly upset by his cryptic words and snarled. "Why don't you tell me! You seem to know who I am, but I guess I haven't had the pleasure yet, care to let me in?"   
  
The man eyed her for a moment before taking a deep bow with a grand flourish of both his arms, introducing himself with a wide smile. "Ares...God of War...at your service."   
  
Xena took an involuntary step back with a shocked expression on her face. Certainly he didn't mean-no, no he couldn't have said that... She shook her head slowly in disbelief. "No way." she whispered, barely audible to him.   
  
"Way." Ares confirmed silkly taking a step towards Xena, which she reacted to by taking another step back.   
  
As impossible as it sounded, as unbelievable as it seemed, for some reason she did believe him. There was something different about him that she couldn't quite pin point. And it would explain a lot of things. The way he was able to dissapear at any given moment, the way he had hit her with more force than any human was capable of, the way he kissed, the way he looked...the way he kissed. So, so, wonderful.   
  
A God. Xena felt herself grow hot at the notion. She has kissed A GOD. And not just any minor god, but Ares, the God of War...one of the 12 Olympians! But then again, what should be so big about that? The gods had never helped her at all. They had allowed her father to leave them, her family to be split apart...she didn't owe them anything.   
  
She fought down the urge to say something akward and merely shrugged. "Xena...but then again, you know that." As she spoke she stepped up to him, noting that he was indeed taller than her, and extended hr arm to him in the common gesture of a compatible warrior.   
  
Ares smirked at the arm, stretched out towards him. She was a strange girl. Bot bowing, or stuttering with useless grovels, but attempting to meet him as one warrior would to another. As equals. Completely ignoring the pre-set statuses between them. In that moment he was assured that she was the one, she would be his chosen. He too, slowly extended his arm, but instead of grasping her forearm, he caught her soft hand with a gentle but firm grip. She yeilded it to him after a seconds hesitation. As he had the day prior, Ares reaised her hand slowly, kissing it with soft lips, he smiled up at her. "Yeah. I know you Xena." He told her.   
  
"At the tavern yesterday. You were there. Why?" She asked, though greatly surprised at the gentleness the God of War was showing her.   
  
"Lets just say that I've taken something of a liking to you...and I like to keep 'projects' around to work on...in my spare time. But what I want to know is what you are doing here." he said softly.   
  
"Nothing." She lied easily, her eyes calm and cool, the perfect picture of a collected soul.   
  
"Really? It seems to me that you were in the middle of taking something that didn't belong to you." he chided lightly.   
  
"What if I was?" Xena threw back flippantly, taking no care to the fact that he was a god, not a mere mean she would talk to as her inferior.   
  
"You'd have to be punished." The leather clad Ares answered simply. The danger was clearly interpretted by Xena, though she took no heed as her young mind pondered the possibilites the dread of his threat brought up, battling toe to toe with teh arousal the promise in his voice conjured up.   
  
Xena scoffed finally, blowing off the statement and breathing regularly once again as she searched the room for the nearest exit, in the process never allowing her eyes to leave his.   
  
Ares however could see the roaming look in her eyes and only let his smile widened as he silently locked the door with a mere thought.   
  
She heard the door close a fraction and lock with a small grating noise. Suddenly, she was overly anxious to get out of there and rushed with an amazing speed to the door, only to find it wouldn't open. She couldn't though, find a lock that she could reverse and therefore resorted though on focusing all of her strength on forcing the door open. She strained with all the might she possessed for a long while before halting finally and standing still. "Unlock it. Now." she growled, by now thoroughly pissed.   
  
Upon recieving no answer, Xena spun around, with fiery eyes, ready to whip out a scathing insult at Ares, only to find that he was gone. "Son of a fucking bachae!" She cursed, twirling her body around and slamming a fist angrily into the wall, not worrying about the fact that it was made of stone. Unfortunetly, her knuckle scrapped across a wicked looking blace hanging next to the door, cut deeply into her hand. A small hiss of pain escaped her lips at the burn eminating from her right hand. She looked down, not expecting the huge cut that she was met with. Obviously the impact of her punch on the wall had numbed her senses momentarilly, allowing the huge gash spreading from the valley between her ring and middle finger up to her elbow to make the injury seem only minor. Damnit! She pulled apart the skin slowly, the pain visible on her creased forhead and pursed lips though she made no sound, to reveal the pale white her bone. Shit, shit, shit, SHIT! she yelled and reached down to rip away a length of her marronish dresh and dress the cut on her arm. That was going to scar, might have cut through the muscle too.   
  
Cradling her injured arm, Xena made her way quietly throughout the temple room, taking the time to admire the wide assortment of weapons housed on the walls. Upon closer inspection, she noted that they were all of a superior class, some of them looking almost as nice as her new sword. She cursed again with the realization that it was her sword arm that had been hurt. She ripped one of the blades from the wall in an angry motion, twirling it around in a simple arch she sighed. She did okay with her left arm. Maybe in time she'd be as good with it as her right. As she was readying to mount it back upon the wall, she stopped all of a sudden and walked to the door, placing it in the corner where she was sure she would remember it. She was definitely not going to leave without getting what she came for.   
  
She continued to search for another half candlemark, for a possible escape route, but to no avail. There was one way into this room. For a mortal anyway...and therefore, one way out. She did however find a nice set of twin daggers with the same design engraved on her amulet-the sign she now reckognized as the old greek for War. Finally with a sense of desolation she walked over to the great throne sitting at the head of the room and plopped herself down across it with a sigh. She played a bit with the daggers, tossing them, two at a time in a rapid succesion up in the air, barely getting the one back up as the other returned to her grasp. Soon tiring with the game she settled back further into the his marble throne, noting with detatched interest that the whole room smelled like him, a deep, intoxicatingly masculine scent that she soon lost herself in as she fell fast asleep.   
  
*********   
  
He entered his temple in a flash of glorius blue light, fully expecting to find Xena still trying to get out of the door. Instead he found her in a deep sleep atop his throne. Usually Ares wouldn't take lightly to a mortal being on his throne, but Xena was a different story.   
  
Producing a tall glass of wine in one hand, Ares stopped and silently watched her, reflecting on how utterly beautiful the firl was. She looked incredible, though so innocent with her body curled into a lanquid ball, huggging a pair of daggers he thought he had kept well hidden to her tightly, in the way that a child would hug a stuffed animal, as if her life depended on it. He liked that.   
  
He could tell that she was awae now, his superior hearing could pick up the hardly noticeable change of her breathing pattern, before returning to normal. Good, she wanted the upper-hand. That was smart.   
  
Walking to his throne, he sipped the delicious wine as he stared down at her, drinking not only the tangy liquid, but also indulging himself in becoming drunk and he drank in the complete beauty that was the teenager. He continued to stare down at her, waiting for her to decide to aknowledge him.   
  
She finally gave in, opening her eyes and staring unemotionaly up at him.   
  
"Sleep well?" he asked, grinning mischeviously.   
  
She frowned in return and straightened herself up in the chair, keeping eye contact with Ares the whole time. "Where the Tartaraus did you go!?" she asked roughly, almost shouting. She attempted to stand but gave up the effort quickly as she realized it put to much pressure on her injured arm, sitting back down and instead glaring up at him.   
  
Ares noticed the grunt of pain that left her and focused on her arm. Xena noticed him staring at it and pulled it back to her chest protectively. "Let me see it." he ordered Xena softly, to which she shook her head. The God of War shook is head in turn and muttered something about stubborn girls before setting down his drink and snapping his fingers.   
  
Suddenly, no longer was Xena sitting on his throne, but rather on Ares lap who was now sitting there. She struggled immediatly, trying to rise up and off him with all of her strength. The movement, though, was anticipated by Ares who in turn wound his arms around her waist and held her tightly in place. She soon gave up struggling and decided to just lay there, unmoving.   
  
Ares situated the woman on his lap, ignoring his own lust as he turned her sideways to get a good look at her arm. She still made no move and he softly began to unwrap the bandage she had made from the bottom of her dress. He was soon given a view of the long, deep gash going up her arm. She winced again as the air hit the wound, only to be comforted by Ares, who stroked her cheek lightly and whispered in a soothing voice, "Shhhh-its okay, I'm gonna fix it up, okay Xe?"   
  
Xena flinched as he used the nickname that she only allowed Lyceus to use, surprised somewhat that it felt natural for him to say it, and having her tend to her wound was actaully making her feel better. She nodded slowly looking at him. "Where did you go?" she asked quietly as she felt his gentle fingers press against the cut.   
  
"Had to leave-war in Troy...it's a god thing, you know?" he replied, concentrating on her arm.   
  
"No, don't know, sorry-missed out on the god thing, you know?" she answered rolling her eyes before she smiled again with renewed interest. "The war in Troy?" she implored with the light of enthusiasm shinning hin her eyes. "Will you tell me about it?" she asked almost shyly.   
  
He took a moment and looked back at her, running his hand down her cheed again, he smiled a genuine smile. "Yeah, I will, what do you want to know?"   
  
"Everthing!" she sighed. "Whats happening, who's winning, what are they doing?" he could tell she was really interested in the subject and smiled to himself again. It wasn't often you found a woman interested in the same things that you were-especially when that 'thing' was war. "Right now, its hard to say. Achilles-do you know who Achilles is?" he interrupted himself.   
  
"Of course!" she nodded and motioned for him to continue.   
  
"His friend or something was killed...name-"he shrugged. "Doesn't matter, anyways, he's killed so he's just sitting there sitting there now, crying over his body, swearing vengeance on my name. All he seems to be doing though is sulking-not much of a warrior." he finished with a spark of anger in his eyes.   
  
"All the heroes seem to be there-I bet Hercules is even there." Xena pondered more to herself as she shifted in his arms.   
  
She felt his body tense at the question and immediatly looked into his eyes to ask the what was the matter. "Hercules is there, fighting for Greece, always the hero, my half-breed, half brother."   
  
The obvious dislike was evident in his voice and she somehow felt a sudden anger towards 'Hercules' whom she had always viewed as role-model until now. She shook her head. "You don't like him.'   
  
"No-I don't like him." Xena didn't like to see him unhappy, although she hadnt known him for more than an hour, and asked him. "Why don't you kill the bastard?"   
  
Ares smiled at her sudden dislike for his half-brother...their bond was already growing to where they were feeling eachothers emotions. "i like the way you think...and I would, my dear-but my father has put a ban on disposing of him."   
  
Xena nodded and though back to what he had said only a few moments ago.."He's fighting for Greece? Then...you're not?" she stared up at him.   
  
"No..Troy has my favour on this one-call it my respect for the underdog." Ares explained as he still was gently stroking her arm. "And how do you feel about it?"   
  
"I think that Helen is a slut." she said simply before reconsidering. "But as you said, they are the underdog...might be fun to root for them." She offered him a sly smile which he returned.   
  
Xena looked suddenly at her arm to find it completely healed. She looked back up at Ares with wide eyes as she ran her hand up her arm. the would was completely gone! Meeting his eyes, she said softly, "Thank-you."   
  
He answered with a smile, "Not a problem-just don't go getting a wound any deeper than that-I want you safe." She nodded again as he patted her butt, motioning her to get up, which she did so.   
  
"I think its about time I got you home..they're going to be worried about you." he told her picking up his glass.   
  
"How long have I been gone?" she asked, realizing that she had completely lost track of the time.   
  
"Since last night when you left-about a day." He told her, taking another sip of his wine.   
  
"A day!! Oh shit! I am so screwed!" she moaned as she ran a hand threw her silky hair.   
  
Ares cocked an eyebrow at her and drawled huskily "And you kiss your mother with that mouth?" he shook his head with mock appalation.   
  
Xena chuckled throatily at the comment and walked up to him putting her arms around his neck and smiling as he wrapped his own around her, "Her and you-but I think you like that."He laughed and pulled her to him, kissing her soft, but passionatly on the lips. At long last he pulled back finally and purred in her ear as she protested "I'll see you tomorrow Xena." and concentrated on materializing her to her front door.   
  
After she was gone he grinned. She wasn't going to expect that. As he prepared to leave himself, he noticed a sword laying besides the door. "So thoughtful, Xena." She had obviously planned on retrieving a sword from his personaly collection to take home to her brother. The one she had picked was no where near her own-as he had, had made for her by Hephestaus himself..but it was a nice one. With a second though a sheath appeared around the sword and then the two daggers his dark princess had been playing with earlier appeared next to it. The whole pile suddenly vanished with a wave of his hand as he took another sip of his drink.   
  
  
  
With an angry scowl, Ares paced restlessly across the confines of his altar room. Things were moving too slow. Way too slow. The pulsating beat of the lively temple pounding into his ears was but a dull mockery of what he felt when around her. Her face, voice, and scent were stamped irrevocably into his senses. there wasn't one part of her that he didn't want to caress, to taste, to have, to control, and even take comfort in. He wanted all of her.   
  
His entire being was so completely engulfed by the sensuous aura that the lovely Xena possessed, the aura that radiated from her like a glowing star. A bright, blinding light that left him oblivious to all other things, whether they be his sacred duties, or the pull of an attractive woman. The numerous women that he usually found appealing, and found pleasure in, paled in comparison in his mind. He wanted-no, yearned for only one thing. Xena.   
  
He had fallen into the charming death-grip that he had managed to avoid for eons, and that was no exageration, for his life covered thousands of years, and still he wasn't considered an 'old god.'   
  
He had allowed himself to become swept up in the deep, dark, irresistable beauty- the luring siren's song of a mortal woman...and perhaps he should not call her that yet, as she was stuck somewhere in that awkward stage between being a woman and a child. Although his body called out to her in a way that was more suitable to a woman. She appeared too, to be more mentally mature than the flocks of hormonal teenage girls that often visited his temples, hoping to get lucky with a priest or worshipper. Those 'children' had never piqued his interest, never sparked his desires as Xena had. She was obviously one of a kind, and he was already deeply taken by her.   
  
There was something about her, most likely the same thing that had drawn him to this part of the country, an area which he usually neglected as it was of no real interest to him. It had forcefully drawn him here from the present war in Troy, with a desperate urgency that seemed to whisper that she needed him. When he first saw her, he couldn't believe her presence had eluded him for so long, nearly 18 years! He had immediatly felt as if he were incontrovertibly connected with her, as if their souls had called to each other throughout the room and rejoiced in the reunion. As sappy as he knew it sounded, he was certain that they did have some sort of spiritual connection. And from the way she looked into his eyes, he was guessing that her feelings where closely akin.   
  
He was superbly confident that just a single moment with her, having her swear her life, soul, body, skills and allegiance to him in one breath would be worth all the ambrosia on Mount Olympus. It wasn't simply a want that drove him to his current condition, but a deep, unrelenting necessity. She had to be his, one way or the other-both if he were lucky. His chosen warrior with skills and strengths to match his own, and his faithful lover.   
  
He stopped his relentless pacing for a brief moment, in thoughtful contemplation. If the unease he expressed when in her company was as easily noticeable as her own all too obvious nervousness, that was something he would need to attend to in the near future. He wanted her completely at ease when around him. And perhaps, for her to become uncomfortable when not in his presence.   
  
It was time to step up the seduction of his princess. A wicked grin twisted his lips, his passion for Xena consuming him. He would begin slowly, adjust her to being in his temple and around him...and there was no better time to start than the present.   
  
***********   
  
Xena absently swirled her finger around the rim of her glass, one leg propped up onto the chair beside her, and the other swinging carelessly back and forth beneath the table. Her wintry blue eyes stared, glued to the air in front of her, her face expressionless. Throughout her vicinity people moved around her, dancing and talking at other tables in the tavern.   
  
The tavern was the second most succesful business establishment in town, attracting almost as many people as her mother's. It did however, house an entirely different atmosphere and quality of customers than Cyrene's. As her mother's tavern was noted for its great, friendly service, clean peaceful seating areas, and wonderful home-cooked food, this place was equally noted for more.. unpleasant reasons. This was known as the 'hangout' for all the teenagers, warriors, and otherwise noted 'undesireable' people. It was in all truthfulness, 'the place.' Anyone who was anyone was there...especially at this time of the night.   
  
Xena and Lyceus had had no trouble getting out of the house, even considering the late hours, as Cyrene felt more comfortable letting the two out together. While she did know that her son often took part in warriorish activities, she was completely oblivious to her daughter's involvement. Her daughter was, in fact, fully capable. A match for any problems that might arise.   
  
It was though, Xena mused thoughtfully, hard to get her mother's suspicions concerning her disappearance of the previous day calmed down. That had taken a lot of work. And when she said 'a lot' she didn't use the term lightly. She'd spent over an hour convincing Cyrene that she had been at a friends house, with whom she'd stayed until the morning. With a little time, some extra encouragment from Lyceus, and the assurance of her best friend, Thelia, Cyrene decided that she had somehow forgotten the conversation with her daughter 2 days prior-and therefore let Xena off the hook.   
  
Not the most honest thing she'd ever done in her life, but it sure beat the hell out of telling the truth. She scoffed at the idea. Yeah, "Hey mom, I've just been spending a little time with the god of war, you don't mind do you?" She shook her head, just imagining the response she would have recieved. A nice choice of an asylum, visiting a head healer, or being grounded for a month on account of fibbing. No way was she going to tell her. She wasn't stupid.   
  
Blinking furiously, Xena turned her head from it's previous focus point and took in her surroundings once again. It wasn't Athens...but it worked fine for her. The huge room was dark and musty, filled almost to the brim with people, and incredibly noisy. She'd be surprised if her ears worked at all after the night was over.   
  
She noticed along the walls near their table a long sting of men, both young and old, staring lustfully at her. Their features were bestial. By mistake, she made eye contact with one of the boys, who immediatly smiled at her. She smiled uncertainly in return, not wanting to seem too rude. She then raised her drink back up to take a sip. The boy however, saw this as an intvitation to introduce himself to her and began to stride forward purposefully.   
  
The small smile on her face immediatly disintegrated and her features took on an icy countenance. The boy halted his strut towards her temporarily, and retreated a step. The look on her face clearly reading 'not interested.'   
  
He almost ran back to the wall, as Xena sighed exasperatedly. The guys that loitered in these kind of places really weren't her type. She'd hoped that they'd gotten the picture when she'd first walked in, side by side with Lyceus and flanked by a number of their 'gang'. Almost immediatly, a large burly man had come up behind her, simply standing there. She ingnored him at first, simply ordering drinks for herself and her friends, with slightly tensed muscles. When she felt the large hand on her shoulder she took a disdainful sideways glance at it and then calmly, in a smooth unyielding voice, said. "I suggest you remove your hand." she smiled up at the man taking her order, giving him a fake smile. She payed him for the drink. Finally seeming to notice that the man had not removed his hand. Rather he had taken a step closer to her. She gave the bartender a more sincere smile, sighed and shrugged, effectively slipping his hand from her shoulder. Turning with impossible speed and agility, she slammed a fist into the man's jaw, following that blow with another to his gut, and finally grabbed him by his hair as she rammed her palm into his forhead. He landed unceremoniously on the floor in front her, groaning in pain. She looked up at the crowd now staring cautiously at the spectacle before them with wide eyed expressions. As if to punctuate the non verbal warning she had given the audience she added a vicious kick with the heel of her boot into the man's temple, knocking him unconsious. Xena had then looked up, a wide grin plastered across her face, all teeth, that never reached her icy eyes, retrieved her glass, and stepped over the fallen would-be suitor, making her way to the table with her group trailing closely behind. Lyceus offered a sympathetic grin to the man behind the counter, picked up his drink, and followed his sister.   
  
Since then, only 3 men had dared to invade her personal space, each experiencing the same fate as the first. She wanted it blatantly obvious that she wasn't interested in the attentions of any men right now.   
  
The gang had tried their hand at convincing her to join them in socializing and sorts, but she had refused, forcing a reluctant Lyceus to leave her alone and go off into the crowd.   
  
*********   
  
So instead, Xena sat motionless, yet content at the table, just allowing her thoughts to drift to Ares. It was at this time, when she was deeply engrossed with memories of his words and touches, that she felt another presence to the right of her. She sighed and turned to look up at the annoying intruder, only to find a familiar face staring back at her. "Camrinus." She mouthed silently, offering the handsome boy a smile. He was the self proclaimed 'leader' of their gang.   
  
At 23 winters, he was just as tall as she with dark blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes that were almost like her own. With muscular build, and handsome in the extreme, he was the object of many women's obsessions. At one time even she was greatly infatuated with him. That however had been when she was still somewhat younger and had not yet begun to physically mature-almost 5 years ago. Now though, she was more beautiful and developed than most of the others in the village, and Camrinus, for one, had certainly noticed.   
  
He sat down smoothly besides her, and gave her a winning, charm filled smile. Lyceus' sister was so incredibly hot! He quickly decided that he would have her as his girl by the end of the night.   
  
"Hey Xena, what are you up to?" he asked, leaning forward across the table. Almost on reflex, Xena leaned back, frowning just slightly she answered, "Nothing much Cam, you?"   
  
"Well its been a pretty slow night..but things are looking up. Have I told you how beautiful you've been looking lately Xena?" she shook her head and took another drink, wetting her dry throat,   
  
"Umm, no you haven't." She looked away at his leering gaze. She couldn't help it, he made her feel sort of..dirty.   
  
Not waiting, and not wanting to get lost in conversation, he stood up and with a sweet gesture of his hand he asked, "Would you like to dance, Xena?" His eyes were hopeful and looked imploringly down at the lovely girl. "Hmmm?"   
  
Xena didn't want to make any unnecessary chasms in the group, so instead of protesting, she stood up warily, leading the way out onto the dance floor. There was no music, and therefore couples danced in all different sorts of styles and paces. Xena allowed Camrinus to take her hand and let his other rest on her shoulder as they swayed back and forth.   
  
Xena's mind drifted, as it usually did these days, off the present and back to the future. If she closed her eyes for just a brief moment and allowed herself to become lost in the movements, she could imagine that it was Ares holding her, and not Camrinus.   
  
Once again Xena felt an uneasy feeling creep over her, not for the first time that night. It was as if her body were screaming for her to leave, to run, to get the hell out of there or else she would be sorry. As if there was something wrong with letting this guy hold her.   
  
Then again, there was nothing else to do. So instead of listening to her instincts Xena stubbornly continued to dance. She let the swaying movement fill her body, let it become one with every pulse and throb in her heart and in her blood. She raised her arms and let her head lean back as she mindlessly followed the primal urges surfacing in her body, all revolving around Ares. All feelings of danger melted away as she succumbed to the ecstasy of the throbbing pulse in the tavern. Her partner pulled her close to his body until they were molded hip to hip, thigh to thigh. It was as if he sensed her abandonment and naturally responded to her sexually. Xena could feel his hard-on but it was of no consequence. Once again, if she just imagined...   
  
For a short while, she did seem to find consolation in her thoughts and memories, but as she thought more about it, It felt all wrong, being held by this boy, he seemed so young, so different than Ares. It didn't feel right being in his embrace as it had with the dark war god.   
  
At the realization of his lips only inches from her own, her mind desperately returned to the present: the tavern, the dim candle lighting, the frantic crowd crushed against her. She could think about him later, his dark good looks, his deep throaty voice..when she was alone.   
  
Immediately all pleasure she felt dissolved. The last thing she wanted to be doing right now was dancing with this boy. She felt as if she had to get out of there. She pulled back quite suddenly, frowning at the puzzled expression on Camrinus' face, and headed towards the exit. Just as she approached the large iron door, she felt a wave of uneasiness rush over her again. Whipping around to scan the crowd she saw...nothing. Strange, she thought.   
  
She was ready to leave when Lyceus approached her from the side, "Xe! Wait, where are you going?" he asked, genuinely concerned.   
  
She smiled and gave her brother a quick hug, saying "Just gonna walk around for a bit, okay? You stay here-have some fun!" She encouraged softly.   
  
Lyceus shook his head and told her, "Nope, I'm coming with you."   
  
"No! Lyceus, I just wanna sort some thoughts out...I'll be alright-now go! Have some fun or I'll have to kick your butt!" Lyceus returned her hug and none too happily disappeared back into the crowd.   
  
Turning back to the door she quickly opened it and left. She had barely reached the outside, when she was transported into the familiar setting of the temple room she had occupied the day before. She saw a seething Ares standing in front of her.   
  
***************   
  
Ares could feel his anger and frusturation growing immeasurably when the youth put his arms around 'his' princess. How dare the pathetic boy come onto one who was his?   
  
The anger radiating from him was almost a tangible thing, heavy and heated as his eyes locked relentlessly onto the form of the beautiful raven haired girl, swaying peacefully as she was lost in thought. From his position resting somewhere between the ether and the mortal plane of existance, Ares kept careful watch over the two, making sure that the mortal boy did not make any more moves on Xena.   
  
He could see the turmoil expressed on her face, her eyes closed tightly and lips in a a happy smile. He suddenly felt his own heart relax a bit as he realized what she was doing. He couldn't help but laugh. She was daydreaming! She was imagining that it was him holding her possessively instead of that ordinary, wimpy excuse of a man!   
  
As the boy took another step towards her and pulled her closer to his hips, Ares became aware of a furious growl eminating from his throat. Until then, he had not realized that it was he who was doing it. Xena's facial expression didn't change even a fraction, and she neither repelled nor avoided the move.   
  
Soon, Ares saw him move in to kiss her and was ready to actually step in and halt the action when he saw her move back on her own initiative. She was frowning at the boy with obvious anger and distrust on her beautiful face.   
  
He needed to see no more, opting instead to teleport himself to his temple and wait until she left the tavern instead. Then she would explain herself.   
  
He didn't wait long, the spell he had cast over her before he left, ensuring her quick transportation to his presence. As soon as she was fully aware of where she was, he strode quickly into her line of sight. Anger was clearly evident in his burning eyes, and he grinned a chill smile. Drawing the words out, he relished the way she shivered in response, cautiously inching just slightly forward. "Hello again Xena."   
  
  
  
  
  
Xena stood uncomfortably in front of the vexed war god, with a composed, relaxed demeanor that only seemed to infuriate him further. Her eyes were a different matter though, as she desperately fought to keep the treacherous icy orbs from giving away her inner turmoil. He said nothing, merely glaring intensely at her. His absolute silence, she found, was even more unnerving than the severity of his fierce gaze, as the eery calmness provided no distraction on which she could focus.   
  
It took her a few moments, but soon enough she was able to still her rapidly beating heart. To begin breathing normally once more as she regained her bearings. She had been taken completely by surprise. She was still disturbed by the way he just stood there, but wasn't certain as to exactly the right way to go about breaking it, though she was certain of the need. The tension between the two was an incredible thing. The air, the only thing separating them, was alive and tense, almost crackling with the unspoken emotions jumping across the room, thick and heavy, making it seemingly impossible to inhale.   
  
The unsettling situation soon drove her into taking matters into her own hands as she realized it was going to be up to her to break the silence. Almost deciding against it, she forced her protesting foot forward lest she lose her courage at the last minute. She made her way up to him, halting only a step from his dark form. "Ares?"   
  
The simple word-his name-set his mind afire with sensations, having been said with such an odd inflection. It was spoken almost as if a question and a statement at the same time. Her sensuous voice rested somewhere between the sexiest whisper and the most enticing purr he had ever heard, with a vague hint of longing lingering on the edges. It was amazing, the depth and feeling she could convey in a single world. And it wasn't as if it were unusual, either, as she always spoke with such a strong, passion-filled voice. She stood only a pace from him, regal in all her majestic glory, her hair feathered across her excellent, well sculptured cheek bones, and continuing to cascade down her neck to rest halfway down her back. Her shoulders were square and she held herself proudly, giving off an aura of confidence and a distinct sweet scent that mercilessly attacked his senses.   
  
After seeing her so recently in the arms of another man, he immediately felt a sudden urge to reclaim this glorious beauty, to let her understand to whom she belonged. To let her know that she was his.   
  
As he was usually a god who could control himself and his actions-when he deemed it necessary-he was surprised with himself when he closed the distance between them in one smooth step, pulling her roughly to him and claiming her sweet lips in a passionate, hunger filled, possessive kiss. He gave into the urge with no reluctance whatsoever.   
  
Xena yielded them to him instantly, accepting him with open arms in order to be closer to his strong, hard body, moaning softly into his mouth.   
  
The emotions running through the two flowed as one in the air as their mouths, in kind, merged into one relentless and insistent mesh of lips and tongues. Ares hands began running up the from the bottom to the top of her back and then to her neck, inwardly cursing and damning to the deepest realms of Tartarus the material that held her from him. He could have continued for hours, perhaps days, being a god, but Xena found it necessary to draw back for a deep cleansing breath. The lack of physical contact was immediately noticed by both parties.   
  
The anger, the conflagration recently burning in his heart, was almost completely extinguished. He refused to admit it was jealousy. He had finally been alone with his princess. It was enough, almost. He still had a few issues to work out with her, one of which was teaching her not to allow other men to come within 2 steps of her. Right now though he was only interested in having her in his arms again.   
  
Xena, too, yearned for the feel of him against her and stepped back into his warm embrace, smiling contentedly when his arms raised to encircle her and pull her to him again. She let him hold her, resting her weight against his strong masculine body, she lay her head on his shoulder, and placed a soft, deceptively delicate hand on the bare skin of his chest, sighing happily she simply stood, and let him hold her.   
  
This was all so strange to her. She had known this man...no, god, for so little time yet she already felt such strong ties between them, felt more relaxed than she had in years...and most certainly more so than she had felt recently without him. She was overwhelmed by the comfort she felt in his arms, and the complete 'rightness' of how it felt. It was as if it was...meant to be or something. Mentally shaking her head she pulled her head back a bit so she could look up into his beautiful deep eyes as she asked in a soft, almost mocking voice, a small smile playing across her face. "Better?"   
  
He chuckled softly, as she did a little more lightly, at her small joking manner and answered ominously as he placed a kiss atop her forehead, "Much, my dear."   
  
"Ares?" Xena muttered, idly tracing a long finger with a deliberate playfulness down his chest.   
  
"Hmm?" He answered, barely able to get out the sound as he tried to concentrate on the hand reaching inside his vest and tracing over his hardened male nipples.   
  
She frowned as she thought for a moment, distracted momentarily as he lightly stroked her hair, gently, possessively. "I want you to tell me what all of this is." she told him finally, and pulled herself back from him, eyes imploring, but face set and intent on recieving an answer.   
  
Ares cocked his eyebrow and cast a contemplating glance down his godly, leather clad body. Coming to rest upon the bulge in his leather pants a sly grin passed over his lips and he looked back up at her. "Come now, Xena, you're old enough to know wha-" She interrupted him byhitting him playfully on his shoulder and laughing shortly as she rolled her eyes exasperatingly. Ares couldn't help but chuckle softly and smile mischeviously as he rubbed the arm which she had hit, wincing with mock pain and making a little 'oww" face. He couldn't believe this! Did she just hit him? The God of War? The idea, suprisingly, excited him rather than angered him. That she had the audacity to actually strike him-if only in jest-exhibited that she was in fact becoming more comfortable around him, was more at ease in his company and able to show her true colors. Exactly as he had wanted, the action pleased him greatly and proved to bring out his own playful, teasing side. At his laugh, Xena couldn't help but join in, her own much softer giggle escaping her throat before she clamped her mouth shut and reprimanded herself as she once again became serious.   
  
"I'm serious, Ares...you aren't known for taking in and harboring teenage girls. You aren't known for your healing abilities..and you aren't known for your kisses..although I have to admit, you should be." she couldn't help but smile lightly at the thought of his lips on hers before continuing. "Why are you doing this?"   
  
Ares' expression became thoughtful as he reviewed her question, not certain on how to reply, as he himself wasn't sure of the motives behind his actions. "Let's just say my tastes have slightly improved over the last few days." he told her, his voice reflecting his own thoughts.   
  
She shook her head at his statement which had effectively explained nothing to her whatsoever. She prepared to speak again, but refrained from doing so as she noticed that the handsome God's face was blank and his fathomless eyes were locked on her, somehow appearing as though they were looking 'through' her. She opted to stay silent and allow him some time, understanding that he was needed in other affairs.   
  
He was, in fact, listening to the prayers of one of his warriors who urgently was seeking guidance from him. "Damn!" He snarled, catching Xena off gaurd and making her miss a heart beat as she too was broken from her reverie. A slight flush colored her cheeks as she hoped that he hadn't taken notice of her eyes on the part of his body he had been focused on in the recent past. He shrugged in apology for surpring her, and she couldn't help but sigh in relief that he hadn't noticed.   
  
Making a quick decision, he reached for Xena again, kissed her gently, and said, "Make yourself at home. I've got a few things to see to."   
  
He stepped back, preparing to leave. "Wait!" She snapped before he could disappear. Sure she had his undivided attention, she said, "You'realways leaving whenever things get hot." She bit her lip. "Can't you stay here with me..we can...like talk?" She finished hesitantly, not used to asking for anything directly, used to getting what she wanted because she made it happened, but deciding he was worth making an exception for. Knowing that her plea hadn't sounded exactly..convincing she put her hands on her hips and let a small pout fill her lips. "Please?" she asked slowly, hoping he would agree. Her brow was creased just slightly at the thought of spending another day alone.   
  
He almost told her no, it was his sacred duty after all, but found it near impossible to deny her anything. The begging look and teasing 'please' swayed him completely. Pursing his lips, he suddenly yelled out, "Strife!" in a thundering voice that felt like it would shake the walls of the temple.   
  
The response was immediate as a small, thin, wimpy looking man appeared in a dim flash of light that she could identify as a really pathetic version of Ares' brilliant displays. Xena couldn't help but stare, with a mocking expression, at the ugly...god-if she could call him that-and his ridiculous looking hair and armor.   
  
"Hey Unc, I wasn't expecting to hear from ya...with the whole 'get out of my sight before I throw you in a boiling pot of hindsblood'!" The wimpy god broke into a fit of annoying girlish laughter, shutting up upon recieving the 'look' from the senior God. "But whatever.." He giggled again and Xena had to fight down the urge to beat the shit out of him. She found herself confused by this ...'thing'. How could this be a God? She shrugged mentally, narrowing it down to the fact that the Fates must have a sense of humor.   
  
The annoyance the God of War was feeling was clearly visible on hisset face and closed eyes. "I have an errand for you to run." He said shortly, trying to keep his anger from erupting.   
  
"Ohhh, a job!" he exclaimed and began laughing once again, rubbing his hands together in front of his puny chest in glee. "I'm on it, unc-whatever it is, you've got your god! I won't let you down this time..so what is it? Persia? Darinus? Op-whoa!" Strife cut himself off as he got his first view of Xena. His eyes were glued to her, his mouth opened slightly and his tongue absently running over his lips. Xena scowled contemptuously at him, face full of disgust. "Who's the babe, unc! Way to go! Hey..can I have her when you're done? I bet she's gre-" This time he was cut off by the large, strong hand of the God of War, who grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up off the floor.   
  
Xena felt herself become entraced by the fury pouring out of him, and was pleased, in a primitive sense, by the possesivenes he showed with his next words. "No you may not 'have' her, Strife! Nor may you look, speak, or even think about 'her'! What you can do, is get your lazy ass to Troy and tell Hector that I'll be there tomorrow! Understand?!" He roared shaking the god for emphasis and throwing him a few feet across the room.   
  
The small, lanky god cast a frightened look at Ares as his thundering voice echoed through his head. With no further words, he disappeared into the aether. Ares, glowering at the place he recently stood, shook his head in disgust, mirroring the one on Xena's face.   
  
One of her eyebrows was arched up, her expression teetering between confusion and amusement. She stifled a small chuckle as Ares turned around. "That was a God?" She asked incredulously.   
  
"Unfortunately, yes." He replied, his own grin beginning to surface in sync with hers. She shrugged it off and licked her lower lip, knowing exactly how sensuos an action it was to any man and tilted her head to the side. "I'd say I was disappointed -but truth have it, I couldn't care less."   
  
Ares grin spread full across his face, spilling into his eyes and he said. "Of course...not everyone can be as charming as I am, dear." He held out his hand to her, looking extremely sexy...and, well, charming as he had said himself.   
  
Xena raised both eyebrows this time and lowered her glance for a brief moment. Ares groaned and held out his own hand again as he rolled his eyes. Abruptly, the frown dissipated and the smile returned, full force as she conceded. "I have to agree with you there...I don't think the world could handle more than one of you!" She proceeded forward and softly laid her hand in his larger one. The god's hand grasped hers tightly and he brought it to his lips again in a sweet kiss which caused her to question, "Are you sure you're the God of War, and not..say..the God of Seduction?"   
  
The teasing tone of her voice prompted him to laugh silently and stare deep into her eyes. "War can be very..seductive, Xena."   
  
His voice was a husky whisper, and Xena felt herself move closer in response, her breath catching in her throat. "I can see." She said, her own voice deep and throaty as he moved his mouth to her neck where he lay another gentle kiss on the silky skin of her throat, causing her to shiver and arch her body against him.   
  
"You thirsty?" The dark war god asked as he nuzzled her neck with soft, teasing lips.   
  
The look upon her face as she answered, was one of pure bliss. "That'd be nice...although this is beyond nice" She purred.   
  
Ares growled in agreement and added his tongue to the attack on her neck, enticing a low moan from Xena in the process. "My lord, Ares," a man, a priest by the looks of it, enter the room, halting after a few steps and bowing his head in respect for his God.   
  
Ares pulled back slowly, regretfully, and gave her an apologetic smile as she pouted playfully at him. 'Later' he mouthed as he turned to the priest. When the man looked up, a gasp fell from his lips and he winced as he realized his lord was with a woman, although by the looks of it, she was quite young. The situation surprised him slightly, as he had never seen the God take a woman into his personal throne room...he had taken them to his own bed chamber -but never here..and then, most often, it was always a priestess that piqued his interests. Of no matter though, he wasn't about to question the God about his new interest. Instead he raised his head and looked imploringly at him. "My lord, Matinius is here." he said slowly, waiting for a reaction. The response he recieved was expected.   
  
Ares' eyes snapped up and stared, livid with anger, and he instictively backed away. "Here?" He asked, a scowl masking his face. The priest nodded his confirmation. "What is he doing here? He was to stay with his army in Thrace!" His voice was guttural, anger radiating from him.   
  
The fidgeting priest was obviously extremely uncomfortable being in his presence and lowered his head further, trying to escape his agitated stare. "I don't know, my lord. I just came to inform you of his presence in the temple." His voice was laced with fear...the words muttered in a quick, stuccato line, as if the words themselves would burn is tongue.   
  
He was dismissed with a disdainful wave of Ares' hand and hurried out of the temple. "Xena," he groaned, knowing she wasn't going to like this newest development. He took a step up to her, only to find a hand blocking his advance.   
  
Xena, having heard all that had transpired, understood that the god was needed elsewhere, and reluctantly held a hand out, effectively creating a barrier that kept him at bay. She smiled as she shrugged and said simply, "Well, we got a little time, huh? Go on, and hurry back." Ares grinned at the commanding tone of her voice. Such a little dictator..he loved it. By the Gods on Mount Olympus, he loved everything about her, but this was exciting him greatly. She was ordering him around, keeping herself from him! A 17 year old girl! It was amusing to say the least! He was amazed by the confidence she showed for someone so young. The assurity she had in herself, complete faith.   
  
The funniest part though, was that he planned on complying with her instructions. Before he did so, Ares took a brief moment to just stare at the beautiful girl with eyes full of appreciation...a seductive look that Xena once again felt herself melting into. Taking a step backwards, she turned around, her back to him and walked up to his throne, seating herself like a queen upon it. Her back was straight, but not rigid, her neck held proudly and one leg crossed over the other.   
  
A sly grin slowly spread across her face, enchancing her gorgeous beauty. "I'll be waiting." She promised throatily, raising an eyebrow in impatience, already missing him.   
  
Ares chuckled softly, an expression of anticipation crossing his face and heightening his own dark good looks. "You'd better." He growled softly as he disappeared from the room. As soon as he had left, a tall silver goblet filled her empty hands, making her jump in surprise and nearly upsetting the drink as she cast a murderous glare at the place he had just stood and another masculine laugh filled the empty air.   
  
  
  
  
  
He hadn't been gone for even 20 minutes when Xena was struck with a deep loneliness. She already missed him. She couldn't remember ever feeling anything like this. She felt alone and empty as if something was missing from her-like she wasn't whole. She sighed from her position on his throne and stood up finally, eyeing her surrounding warily before walking back over to the alter. She was also very bored. She needed something exciting. Something to do that would keep her mind from thinking about HIM. A thing that it desperately wanted to do   
  
On the alter was a dagger and a sword. It didn't look as nice as hers..but she could tell that it was still nicely crafted and very sharp. She shrugged and picked it up, balancing the blade in her left hand and then switching it over to her right. It felt nice too. Not too heavy, but with a strangely reassuring weight. But still, it wasn't as nice as her own. Somehow she could tell that Ares had spent time picking her sword out for her..there was just something about it..it seemed to be an extension of her when she used it. She couldn't describe it, but it made her feel closer to him. 'Damn.' She thought momentarily as she put the sword back down atop the alter. 'That really sounded stupid.'   
  
She was starting to walk back up to the throne when a loud voice halted her movements. "My Lor-You!" She turned around abruptly to meet the woman who had just entered the room. The woman's face was twisted into an angry mask that seemed just a bit familiar. Suddenly it hit her. The priestess that had been in the tavern a few nights back. What was her name? Genive? No...Gertrude? Before she could say anything the woman was walking up to her with brisk strides until she was only a few inches away from Xena.   
  
"What are you doing in here girl?" The look on her face was indignantbut her voice authoritive as she said. "The God of War doesn't appreciate children in his temples!"   
  
Xena bit her bottom lip, trying to ingnore the immediate hatred she felt for this obtrusive woman. "Gertrude, isn't it?"   
  
"No girl, it's Ma'am to you." Her response was quick, her brittle voice tinged with anger and her lips pursed in a line, making her seem much older than what she most likely was.   
  
"Ma'am?" Xena asked incredulously. The night just kept getting better and better. She expected her to call her Ma'am? The idea in itself was ludicrous..and the assumption that she would comply with her orders made it even more so. She crossed her arms as she often did when dealing with people whom she considered inferior, a condescending, yet defensive movement. Smiling broadly she shook her head. "Oh I so do not think so Gerty." She purposefuly used the nickname she had heard the other priestess call her, considering how much it had aggravated her then and relying on it to do the same now.   
  
Gertrude's face turned a bright shade of red and her her face contorted into an angry scowl. She actually raised her right arm as if she was going to hit her. Before she could step forward Xena raised her right eyebrow once again, making no other move. Luckily the woman seemed to see the threat in her eyes and wisely brought her hand back down. "I will not stand around and listen to anyone call me by that name!" She said, and Xena noticed her chin once again raised just a fraction.   
  
'What was it with this woman?' Xena asked herself. It was like she had something shoved so far up her ass that she couldn't just act normal and civil to someone. Xena smiled when she heard the challenge in the woman's voice. She was used to getting her way. One of the types of people who asserted themselves and then enforced that assertion against any who might show defiance. Much like Xena herself.   
  
She momentarily pondered on a few old quotes her mother once used, each contradicting the other. Something about how people with the same disposition were often the best of friends because they often understood how the other was feeling. That's what she had used to describe the closeness between herself and Lyceus'. Maybe that was true. Maybe it was just that they were so much alike that their personalities were fighting for dominance. She nodded to herself, realizing that her assumption was right. Maybe she should try to make peace with the priestess instead of egging her on. A small smile that could only be defined as wicked crossed Xenas lips. But then again she had never been the type of person to let a challenge go unanswered. And she sure as hell wasn't about to back down in front of this woman. She hardened her voice and said with a sense of finality. "Well then..I suggest you get out of here, Gerty." As soon as she had spoken she turned around, as if dismissing her- a gesture she knew would infuriate the woman further.   
  
The recent authoritive tone of her voice was now completely abandoned and she almost screeched. "This is the God of War's personal chambers, girl! Get out. Now."   
  
"Umm...how about no?" Xena knew she was treading a fine line here as she could tell the woman's anger was about to get out of control. Her stubborn attitude, though, kept her from paying attention to the warning bells going off in her head.   
  
"Don't speak when you have your back turned to me! You will listen to me! Now get out!"   
  
Xena finally turned back to her, her own crystal blue eyes livid with anger and defiance. "You don't seem to get it. No one orders me to do anything..especially some bitchy fat assed priestess, you got that?" She almost growled the last word and knew then that she had indeed 'lost' her temper.   
  
Gertrude appeared shocked for a brief moment, not quite believing that Xena had just used those words to insult her. She shook herself out of her stupor and pulled out the sword that was strapped to her back with the ease that came from years of practise. The way she wielded the sword in front of her assured Xena that she did in fact know how to use it. "I think, girl, that you need to learn some manners..and respect."   
  
"Oh. Really?" Right now she realized that she had probably pushed the issue a little bit to far and that the odds were not likely to be in her favor. She was now just using the silence to assess the situation. Which in all honesty was fairly simple. Gertrude had a sword, she didn't. Not letting her eyes move off the woman she racked through her memories, trying to pinpoint the exact location of the sword she had recently been playing with before she had put it back down on the alter. "And who is going to do that? You?" Hoping that the woman would take the bait she put on her best 'shit eating' grin and said. "Please."   
  
The sigh of relief that escaped Xena's lips was almost audible as Gertrude sneered back at her. "Yes, girl, me!" And rushed her, sword held high and a small cry of rage escaping her lips.   
  
Xena readied herself, and just at the last moment, a half second before the priestess would have run into her, she set herself into a flip that took her right over the woman's head and landed her only a few inches from the alter.   
  
With thankful hands, Xena grabbed the sword laying on the smooth stone without even bothering to turn back and brought it in front of her with one practised twist of her wrist.   
  
She couldn't help but feel the rush that always possessed her during a good fight. The anticipation, the desire to defeat her enemy, the need to push her body into the sweet dance of death. That's what it was..a rush. The same type of rush she had gotten from that one weed the gang had once gotten her to try. Only this was amplified above that sensation by a three-fold. She felt alive, as if everything in her body was awakened and ready for this. She grinned wolfishly after throwing the woman a contemptuous glare. She hadn't been expecting that. Most likely considered her 'easy prey'. If that was the case, she was sorry to say that the priestess was going to be gravely disappointed.   
  
"You want this?" Xena asked in a mocking tone as she began to circle the woman like a vulture waiting for the right opening to swoop in. The momentary confusion in the woman's eyes was enough to make her almost laugh out loud. Almost.   
  
In two swift moves she was in front of the priestess, her eyes shining feraly as she held the sword in front of her.   
  
In no time at all, the silent calm of the altar room was replaced with the angry sound of clashing blades, piercing war cries, and a myriad of other noises that accompanied a fight.   
  
******   
  
Blood smeared across her hands, transforming the tanned flesh into a glistening red mural that shimmered faintly when the lighting of one of the room's torches filtered across them. There was something about it -the blood that is- the scent of it stirred some unbidden force within her and caused her mind and body to merge into one voice that in a perfect unity screamed out for more.   
  
With a sense of something akin to wonderment, she slowly turned her hands around in front of her eyes.. as if entranced by the crimson lifeblood coating. The silky smoothness of the priestess' blood filled her with an almost comforting sensation. A sweet warmth that made her heart and mind hum in response.   
  
She closed her eyes, drowning herself in the emotion and unexplainable emotions coursing through her. The muscles in her jaw tightened momentarily as the full implications of what had just transpired hit her full force.   
  
She had just taken a life.   
  
She had just robbed a woman of her right to live.   
  
She snarled wordlessly in frustration at the distraction this truth was causing her thought processes. It was interrupting the powerful sensations wreaking havoc on her body, trying to claim dominance.   
  
She shut her eyes more tightly only to find the image of her blood covered hands was still branded on the inside of her eyelids.   
  
She was silent for a moment, listening to her heart beat heavily in her chest. When she opened her eyes they were calm again.   
  
She had killed.   
  
Strangely enough the idea did not upset her as much as she thought it would. With a sort of horrid fascination, she realized that she had enjoyed doing it. It had been an easy thing to do. That worried her.   
  
She pursed her lips slowly , running her tongue across her teeth as she pushed Gertrude's body away from her with a contemptuous shove, scooted away from her until she felt the smooth coolness of the alter press against her back, and brought her own knees up to her chest.   
  
She stared blankly at the far wall of the altar room, engrossed with the savage memories in her head, seemingly oblivious to the flash of blue light that filled the room, followed after a few seconds by rushing footsteps.   
  
She simply didn't detect their presence. Or perhaps refused to acknowledge them.   
  
*******   
  
They had left their meeting quickly upon hearing the unmistakable sounds of a fight. Ares had realized with dread that the sounds were emanating from his alter room...and that they had suddenly stopped.   
  
Ares had transported himself from the main room of the temple to the room in which he had left her, entering in a blinding blue light, and was immediately met with the view of Xena huddled against the stone table, an empty expression on her beautiful face as she stared out into space. In front of her, not more than a few feet away, lay a bloody body.   
  
He noticed after a few seconds of quiet speculation that the figure laying sprawled on the floor in front of Xena was that of one of the priestesses from this temple. Her name, he wasn't sure of. All he could remember was that she had a voice almost as annoying as Strife's. He was silent for a brief moment before he crossed the room to bring himself in front of Xena.   
  
If she knew he was there, she gave no indication of it.   
  
He let his eyes sweep over the tableau before him. Obviously he noticed the blood first off as it covered the dead body of the priestess and Xena like a dark red blanket. The corpse itself recieved a weary glare as he looked for the wound.   
  
A slice across her throat.   
  
He furrowed his brow just slightly as the idea that the wound did not seem to have been made from a offensive sweep of a sword but the gash made by a short blade, perhaps a dagger, from behind her neck.   
  
Xena had not made a sound and was still staring intently at nothing. He assumed she was in shock -it happened some times- and knelt down on one knee beside her. With a calm, cool, coaxing voice, he whipsered her name as she gently let his fingers feather across her bare arm while his other hand travelled down her other arm, past her wrist, until he reached her hands, completely stained in his priestess' blood.   
  
The bloodlust that had always been and would forever be a part of him was awakened at the sight and a wave of pleasure coursed through him.   
  
He had known, the first time he had seen her..felt her, that she was pure. That her blood innocence was intact. Seeing her immersed in blood now stirred his arousal.   
  
To him, the blood enhanced her already amazingly good looks into something that transcended words. It made her glow with an unholy, rage-born energy that called to his desires. It gave her a feral appearance, one that exuded a barely controlled aura of violence and fury..a look that she wore beautifuly.   
  
It was just another one of the many signs that assured him that she was the one.   
  
He smiled slowly, letting the grin take it's time to spread completely over his face. She was his. She was made for him, born to be his, as he was for her.   
  
For the first time in his endless life he felt something stir within his heart. Something that he was amazed to realize was love. He felt concern for her, a concern that caused his mind to shut out everything else in the room and concentrated solely on his beautiful princess.   
  
He looked down at her face with admiration and a certain sense of pride. He was proud of her...for making a kill. She had therefore ensured his claim to her.   
  
She had chosen for herself the path that brought her directly into his domain.   
  
It was meant to be -and she did have a warrior's heart. She had the desire to fight, the rage in her that was akin to his own. Not all people could bring themselves to that final stage and take that fatal plunge..but she had done just that...and it made his heart swell all the more to know that she had the same kind of soul as he did.   
  
"Xena." He whispered again softly, trying to draw her out of the reverie in which she was currently so absorbed.   
  
She didn't make any movement at all and he wasn't sure if she had even heard him.   
  
"Xena...my sweet?" He asked again, this time just a bit more forceful than the last time. Ares licked his lips and let out a low sigh. She was apparently very deeply involved in her thoughts.   
  
He needed to snap her out of this though -and soon. He knew from experience that when mortals were in shock for a prolonged amount of time, it could be dangerous to their future mental health.   
  
He stole a short glance back at Matinius, the warlord he had been speaking with before they had been interrupted, gave him a sharp glare and a waved him dismissively away before he turned his attention back to Xena.   
  
He didn't want to hurt her in any way..but he needed to shake her from this stupor. He raised one hand and moved it forward to slap her face when, to his surprise, her hand shot up like a panther and halted his in a vice grip, only centimeters from her face.   
  
Her eyes were now trained directly on him and glowed with an angry light before it faded as she realized who it was in front of her. She let go of his hand and slowly stood up, noting that the blood was still encrusted on her hands and now stained her clothes.   
  
She seemed a bit confused for a moment and didn't say anything.   
  
Ares found the silence discomforting and stared intently at her as he asked gently. "Want to tell me what happened?"   
  
Xena met his eyes again, cool blue orbs on dark chocolate ones and shrugged her shoulders. "It was nothing."   
  
Ares sighed and stepped closer to her where he brushed his fingers across her cheek in a loving gesture. He wanted to hold her close to him and comfort her..take away the pain he knew she was feeling. But at the moment, he wasn't sure if she'd like him doing that. "She was your first." He said softly. It wasn't a question but a statement. He wanted her to know that he understood what had happened.   
  
Finally she spoke. Her voice was so soft and light that he could barely hear it. "Gods...Ares...the blood."   
  
He looked at Xena staring down at her hands and dress and felt his heart swell with compassion. With a quick sweep of his hand, the priestess' body and the blood on the the floor and her hands disappeared along with her bloodstained clothing. She was now wearing a simple dark blue sleeping gown. Clean and fresh, Xena could feel herself calm a bit with the soothing cloth against her body. "There, see..it doesn't matter-its gone now." He murmered. "All gone."   
  
She gave him a truly grateful smile but shook her head and said softly, "No."   
  
Ares was confused with this and slightly perplexed..he didn't understand what she wanted. "No? What do you mean?"   
  
Xena sighed and then answered in a small voice."Its not gone..its still there. It will always be there. Won't it?"   
  
She looked up at him with pleading, searching eyes. He couldn't even consider lying to her and said just as softly."Yes, Xena, it will always be there. You will always feel it, you will always remember it."   
  
She looked down as she processed his words and began to say somethingbefore she shut her mouth when she found she couldn't say it.   
  
He took another step closer to her and said. "Xena..my sweet princess, I know it hurts. You can't make any sense of it. You will always remember it...but the pain, it will go away. Just give it time." He urged.   
  
She finally managed to talk again, and in accordance with his words replied. "No." "Its not pain. I..Oh Gods...I enjoyed it!" She ended it with a choked sob which she tried to draw back and keep from letting out. I'm a horrible person. I enjoyed it Ares. I liked feeling her blood on my hands. I didn't feel remorse. Why? Whats wrong with me?" What I did was so wrong..but I don't feel guilty." She shook her head once again let her gaze drop to the floor.   
  
"Was it a defensive kill Xena?" He asked, trying to shed some light on the events of the fight, and trying to draw the pain out from her.   
  
She sniffed briefly, still not having let a single tear fall though the gods knew she wanted to. "We..we were fighting and I lost my sword somewhere along the way. She was good..better than I thought she would be. I grabbed one of the daggers from the alter and she rushed at me. I ducked under her arm." Her face hardened as she tried to explain what happened next -not really understanding it herself. "I couldn't help myself. I felt such anger towards her..I just." She looked away. "I slit her throat."   
  
Her eyes were tired as they stared plaintively at him and suddenly he had moved towards her and captured her in a tight embrace. Soothingly, he whispered in her ear. Sweet nothings as he stroked her hair and just held her trembling body. She surrendered to his touch..needing the comfort.   
  
Without another thought, he transported them both to his personal bed, in a room he kept private from all others, even the priests and priestesses of the temple. He laid her down softly on the bed, joined her, and kissed her forehead.   
  
She snuggled up closer to him and he held her tighter in response. He stayed awake, still stroking her long black hair until she finally fell asleep and he too allowed himself to slip into Morpheus' realm.   
  
  
  
  
  
Ares did allow himself to sleep, but only a very light sleep so that he would be sure to wake up if Xena needed any help. Sure enough, she did.   
  
Once he woke up and found her thrashing around in the bed with an expression of pain etched across her face. Firmly but with a gentleness he didn't know he possessed, he tighted his arms around her shaking form and pulled her to him. After a few minutes her cries lessened as she cuddled up with him, through her sleep feeling safe and comfortable in his strong arms.   
  
She only had one more episode that night. Ares shook himself from his sleep sensing that something was different. He opened his eyes to find her staring directly at him, a wicked gleam in her eyes. She seemed to be staring into his eyes, yet into space at the same time.   
  
He shifted uncomfortably as he realized where he had seen that kind of look before. On the battlefield. When soldiers were lost in the fight, drowning in the stench of death. But he had only seen that glare on one other face before. One that held the expression with such an intensity so powerful that it could cause grown men, hardened warriors, to shake with fear.   
  
The same kind of fire he saw every time he looked in the mirror.   
  
It was only after he called her name softly a few times and felt the steady stream of air escaping from her the crack between her luscious lips, that he realized she was still sleeping.   
  
Not wanting to wake his sleeping beauty, he smoothed back the hair on her forehead and whisper softly to her. Slowly but surely he saw the fire disappear from the brilliant blue orbs and her eyelids flutter shortly before closing peacefully once again.   
  
Content that she was okay, Ares fell back to sleep.   
  
****   
  
Xena shifted out of her previous position as she became aware of what was happening. Her body cried out against the loss of warmth from the soft bed as she sat up. She looked around to her to find some strangely familiar room, but couldn't not pinpoint exactly where she was. Suddenly her eyes dropped down over the person lying next to her body, Ares. Then the events of the last day came crashing down on her and she inwardly moaned as she closed her eyes.   
  
To be honest, she didn't feel at all different after having shed blood. For some reason she had thought that she would..that it would make her feel different -maybe stronger, more powerful. And she had had one of the most peaceful nights she could ever remember.   
  
She peeked out one of her eyes and let out a soft sigh of relief that she hadn't even known she had been holding. She was dressed still..in a beautiful night gown -one more elegant that anything she had ever worn before. She looked over at her sleeping companion and noticed that he had his shirt off, but was otherwise still dressed.   
  
Although relieved that he hadn't taken things further in her weakened emotional state, she was also somewhat dissapointed that he hadn't.   
  
She moved her hands up to either side of her head and soothingly began to massage them at the pulse points.   
  
What is Tartaraus was happening? A week ago she was just another girl doing chores around the house and playing around with her brother. And now. Now she was in bed with Ares. The God of War.   
  
She knew that it would probably be best for her just to go home and forget that this ever happened, but the more rational part of her mind let her realize that he would just let her go like that.   
  
She could feel a bond between them. Something that called him to her and drew her to him...it was something more powerful than she could ever remember feeling.   
  
She soon let that more reasonable side of her musings to take over. Not that it was such a hard thing to do. Her body wanted to stay as well. It felt so good -he felt so good. So warm, so strong, so right. Her brow furrowed as she clutched the dark black bed sheet around her while a million different thoughts and ideas ran through her mind.   
  
The things she wanted to do with him.   
  
The things she wanted to feel when with him.   
  
The things she wanted to say while with him.   
  
She struggled and argued with herself by thinking if she had made right choice or wrong choice by letting herself become involved with Ares.   
  
She snorted and looked over his sleeping form. What in Tartaraus was she thinking? How could something that beautiful..that glorius be wrong?! But why would Ares want her in the first place? What was in it for him? Was he just playing some cruel game with her?   
  
Xena couldn't help to wonder where this was going.   
  
She felt like her body was awakening in new places. She had never felt this strongly about anyone. Did he know what he was doing to her? Could he feel how much he was affecting her? Did he care?   
  
  
  
Xena was so completely lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Ares had awaken until she felt his soft warm lips on her neck, causing her to gasp.   
  
She leaned her back into his chest and after a few moments, she turned around and looked at him, wondering what he would do next? Her answer was found as he pulled her closer and kissed her mouth.   
  
She broke the kiss and pulled away from him as he asked with narrowed eyes and concern in his voice. "How did you sleep?"   
  
She replied with a bright smile and another short kiss on his lips. "Better than ever."   
  
***   
  
It was Ares, sensing some built up aggresion behind her placid front, who suggested they fight, so that he could 'test' her skills.   
  
And she had agreed.   
  
They started out slowly, not putting much behind their blows, Xena not having much incentive and Ares, even after seeing the work she had done on his priestess, did not want to use too much of his strength.   
  
Ares finally knocked the sword from her hand and waited for her to pick it up again.   
  
What was he doing? He was treating her as if she didn't know how to fight!   
  
Out of nowhere a crushing blow to her midsection caught her by surprise and she doubled over in pain as she dropped her sword.   
  
Then natural instincts kicked in, a warrior's instincts and suddenly the rage and battle lust in her soul matched that which had always been in the God of War's. Anger gripped her, anger at herself for killing Gertrude the day before, anger at the priestess for attacking her, and even at Ares for 'play' fighting with her when he had offered to fight her one on one..the anger was so intense that her whole body trembled with unthinking fury.   
  
Ares took the momentary distraction he saw in her eyes to step closer, and Xena immediately acted upon it.   
  
She hauled back and punched him across the face, all her strength behind the blow. "Fight me, damn it!" She growled.   
  
His head snapped back from the impact Now the rage that accompanied him into battle, rage he had been holding back, broke free. There was no one to see the battle, no one to referee, or stop them from fighting it all out. If that's what Xena wanted, that's what she would get. So, when Ares launched himself at her with a roar, there was no one to pull the two combatants apart until they calmed down.   
  
And from the looks of things, they didn't seem to be planning on 'calming down' anytime soon. Neither were worried about holding back now and went at it for all they were worth, the only thing missing was that Ares was still not using any of his godly powers.   
  
He grabbed Xena while she was off balance from delivering the previous blow, and threw her across the room and into the nearest wall.   
  
She was up in seconds, before he could get to her and add to the physical punishment, pushing the pain out of her mind she ran up the wall she had just hit, landing back near Ares.   
  
Dropping to the floor to avoid a vicious kick that would have hurt like Tartarus, she grabbed her fallen blade while she was down and kicked out with her leg, catching him unguarded and sending him down to the floor. He gracefully returned to his feet just as she was getting up and they circled each other warily.   
  
Inwardly, Ares was surprised. He had just awakened something within her, she was proving to be much more than adequate at fighting than he had assessed her to be. Outwardly, he showed no sign of that surprise.   
  
After a few minutes, every breakable item in the temple room that could be reached, had been shattered and the place was in shambles. When one would lose a weapon, they would resort to throwing the nearest object at the other, or rain a shower of devastating blows upon them.   
  
And they were both still full of rage, their swords had been thrown to the sides of the room where they weren't planning on going after them. A back handspring brought her to the wall of weapons and she ripped a quarter staff out of it's moorings and attacked with that. He dodged the attack and grabbed the quarterstaff's mate from the wall.   
  
Staffs had never been her weapon, and that was grimly apparent as he battled her to one corner of the room.   
  
She was good with the weapon, better than most of his warlords with the staff, but still not the best. He could tell she didn't practice much with it and knew that was because she was more inclined to use the sword instead of the wooden weapon.   
  
A sword made for a bloodier, more intense, more savage fight..it was something with which he could easily identify. Still, he would need to further her training with the staff.   
  
He was bigger and stronger than she. He had thousands of years of experience behind him, as well as the additional godly strength. He felt himself pulling back just enough to give her a chance with this form of combat. It was a thing he never did, but in this case he was only too glad to oblige.   
  
It took her a while, a long while, in which she suffered many blows that would keep her black and blue for days, but she managed to stay upright and finally got the staff out of his hands. Right away, neither of them losing a beat, they went back to punching and kicking.   
  
Back and forth they fought across his room, in grim silence even though their rage was slowly dissapating after finding a release. But then he no longer had leisure to think about her fighting skills, because she had regained her sword and picked up the pace, moving so quickly she was a blur of light as she ruthlessly went after him.   
  
He found himself fighting defensively then, summoning his sword to him, he went back on the offensive. She seemed to be surprised with the sudden flash of blue light for a moment but never faltered. The sword was her weapon. She knew it like she knew her own body..it was merely an extension of her..as his own was to him.   
  
There was something about how they fought that was so perfect in all of it's intricate glory that it was elegantly simple. He didn't have to think about where her next blow would fall, because something inside him intuitively knew, allowing him to bring his own weapon up to meet hers. As she seemed to know his moves, could block his blows.   
  
Never had a mortal been able to stand this long against him. He felt his pride surge up once again that this woman was 'His' and only His. He would have no lesser for his chosen. He was hardly even aware that she was tiring..she seemed almost in the same shape she had been in when they had begun.   
  
They could have fought minutes or hours, he didn't know..they both had lost themselves in the hypnotic fluidity of their deadly dance.   
  
In the end it wasn't strategy that decided the battle, but brute strength. When Xena brought up her sword to block Ares, he crashed his own weapon down on it with such force that her bones shook as the blade shattered.   
  
Growling deep in his throat, he pulled her into his arms, and hooked his foot around her ankles, pushing her to the ground where he followed her. mouth crushing down on her vulnerable lips.   
  
With a moan she let herself fall, taking on his weight as she settled beneath him, and spread her thighs to cradle his hips.   
  
Suddenly the emotion that had fueled their fight was gone, replaced by one of a much different type which was equally passionate and dangerous. It was the closest they had actually been in their short time knowing each other. The closest their bodies had come to feeling each other, knowing each other besides the confines of their mouths.   
  
Xena's face softened, the scowl melting away to be replaced by a lust filled expression that spread across it quickly as she felt his hardened arousal pushing into her. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she looked up into his eyes.   
  
Ares face held much the same look as he stared at her. He had wanted to take her from the moment he had seen her..he wanted to be with her, be inside her. But he had wanted to gain her trust first, let her get to know him.   
  
"Xena." He growled as he felt himself become harder. It was becoming increasingly difficult to resist the wicked thoughts coursing through his head as each second progressed, and he wanted to give her time to stop this before it got out of hand. "If I don't stop now.." He trailed off, but the intent was clear.   
  
Xena however, was wanting it just as much as Ares was. She wanted him to be her first. Her only. She wanted to be with him. To make love to him. She squirmed her arms out from under him and for a moment he thought she was trying to leave. But she put his fears to rest as she slid one hand up and behind his neck and lifted herself to kiss his lips while the other wormed its way between them to where she could easily feel his manhood through his pants which she gently caressed. "I won't stop you."   
  


To Be Continued


End file.
